Skip to main content
Colorado Rockies On SI

Why Tomoyuki Sugano Believes in What the Colorado Rockies Are Building

Colorado Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano is off to a great start to his 2026 campaign. The return on investment is paying off so far.
Miguel Mike Medina|
Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano
Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In this story:

Colorado Rockies

The return on investment is paying off so far. Colorado Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano is off to a great start to his 2026 campaign. 

Sugano, 36, had himself another solid outing against the Philadelphia Phillies, tossing six innings with five strikeouts and allowing just one earned run, four hits, and one walk in a 4-1 Rockies win. 

Sugano Helps Colorado Avoid a Sweep

Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano
Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The Rockies needed a win this past weekend, and they got it. It’s the first time they beat the Phillies since May 26, 2024. The bullpen stepped up, outfielder Mickey Moniak hit two home runs, and Sugano delivered once again.

The Japanese-born player held up his end in his first start against the Toronto Blue Jays when he allowed just one run and had four strikeouts. The Rockies won that game 14-5, and now against the Phillies, he didn’t make a mistake giving up home runs to tough hitters such as Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.

It’s impressive to have a veteran pitcher like Sugano make his first two starts against two very talented teams. He answered the challenge, and he thrived. Sugano signed a one-year deal in the off-season, and his acquisition may go down as a steal for the Rockies' season. 

Getting adjusted to the big league system is something every foreign ballplayer experiences. Some of the adjustments or transitions can be quite difficult. For some players, they go with the flow and put their full trust in the coaches and organizations.

Sugano's Faith in the Pitching Coaches

Tomoyuki Sugano gets removed from the game.
Colorado Rockies Tomoyuki Sugano (11) looks on. | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Sugano spoke with the media and used a translator to express his opinion on the Rockies' pitch selection. 

“I’ve never experienced pitch calling from the dugout in my previous teams,” Sugano said. “There’s not a lot that I can say about it since I’ve only pitched two games this season, but we’ve got really good communication before the game, like leaning into the game. So I feel pretty confident in what we’re doing.”

Confidence is a key word that’s often used in sports, and it’s a likable term as well. As long as he feels confident and comfortable, then it’s a recipe for success. It’s still a long season. Sugano can keep this up if he stays in command and control of his pitches. Some good perks come with being a veteran pitcher. At this stage of his career, he has seen a little bit of everything when he approaches a hitter. 

Sugano has a 1-0 record with a 1.69 ERA to go with nine strikeouts and a 0.84 WHIP. Rockies fans are tuning in to see if he can come through again in his next start. 

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published | Modified
Miguel Medina
MIGUEL MIKE MEDINA

After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.