Rockies Rotation Struggles Continue Through Brutal May

If the Colorado Rockies are going to be competent in 2026, then the starting pitching has to improve — now.

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Pretty much every person in the world can pinpoint what the largest problem for the Colorado Rockies is at the moment. From the biggest baseball fan to the casual who just loves to drink and spend time with friends at Coors Field, everyone knows that starting pitching is the bane of the Rockies’ existence.

In the month of May, Colorado’s starters are 2-10 with a 7.53 ERA.

Woah.

Yikes.

That’s … not good.

There’s really only one thing to decipher from that statistic: If the Rockies are ever going to turn things around and compete at a high level — or even just a competent one — then the starting pitchers must perform better. If not, then this team will continue to ride this roller coaster that is the baseball season down into the abyss.

Veterans Have Been Hit Hard In May

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The obvious question that most people will have is which pitchers are the biggest contributors to that hefty 7.53 ERA. The two most obvious culprits are Kyle Freeland and Michael Lorenzen, both veterans of this game who have had extremely difficult months.

Freeland, who’s been with the Rockies seemingly forever, has a 13.15 ERA over 13 innings of work in May. In his three starts, he’s allowed a whopping 19 earned runs on 26 hits, five of which have been home runs. He’s struck out 14 and walked seven. Opponents are hitting .413 against him.

Lorenzen has also gotten beat up. He has a 9.20 ERA over 14 2/3 innings. Walks have been a major issue for him — he’s allowed eight free passes compared to just 12 strikeouts. Again, not good stuff from him.

Then there’s the surprising struggles of standout righty Chase Dollander. In his three appearances, two of which were starts, he allowed 11 runs on 16 hits. He walked nine and struck out eight. Perhaps part of the reason why Dollander hasn’t been performing up to snuff was because of the arm issues that landed him on the injured list with a right elbow sprain following his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jose Quintana. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The only starter in the Rockies’ rotation who’s been even somewhat competent in May is Jose Quintana. He currently possesses a 3.38 ERA over the course of the month. Quintana has consistently given the Rockies a chance to win, with his last performance against the Texas Rangers being emblematic of what he brings to the team.

That’s the frustrating part for Colorado. The blueprint isn’t impossible to find. The Rockies don’t need every starter to suddenly morph into an ace overnight. They just need competent outings that keep games manageable and give the offense an opportunity to breathe.

Right now, too many games feel over before they even truly begin. Until that changes, the losses are going to continue piling up and the frustration surrounding this team is only going to grow louder.