The Rocky Road to Rotation: Which Pitcher Will Claim the Elusive Fifth Starter Spot?

Spring training is buzzing with energy as pitchers and catchers answered the call last Thursday, with the rest of the Rockies squad tagging along shortly after. As we closed the last season, the team’s rotation seemed to lean heavily on a youthful core — names like Chase Dollander and McCade Brown made their first Major League appearances, while Tanner Gordon and Bradley Blalock stepped into their sophomore years, trying to carve out consistency.

But that’s not all. Kyle Freeland and Germán Márquez rounded out the rotation after Antonio Senzatela was pushed to relief duties. And what a bummer it was watching Ryan Feltner sidelined for nearly the whole campaign due to injury.

Fast forward to now: the Rockies have added a trio of seasoned starting pitchers to the mix—shaking things up and potentially reshaping the rotation. Michael Lorenzen’s arrival led to Blalock’s designation for assignment, Márquez has moved on to the Padres as a free agent, and Senzatela’s role remains in flux, with Manager Warren Schaeffer keeping options open for his spot in the rotation once again.

So here we stand, with a rotation featuring Freeland, Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and José Quintana — the burning question remains: who claims that fifth slot as the Rockies head into the season? Will Feltner make a rousing return? Can Dollander step up right away? Is Senzatela fighting his way back? Or could it be one of the younger arms like Gordon or Brown?

This pitching puzzle is shaping up to be quite the intriguing storyline — and I’m all eyes and ears on how this unfolds. What’s your take on the rotation? Drop your thoughts and let’s break it down together!

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Spring training is in full swing. Pitchers and catchers reported to camp last Thursday, and the rest of the squad is set to officially join them tomorrow.

At the end of last season, the Colorado Rockies looked like they were going to once again trot out a very young rotation that saw Chase Dollander and McCade Brown make their MLB debuts, and Tanner Gordon and Bradley Blalock enter their second years in MLB after debuting the previous summer.

Kyle Freeland and Germán Márquez filled out the rotation after Antonio Senzatela was relegated to the bullpen, and Ryan Feltner spent nearly the entire year on the Injured List.

However, since January, the Rockies have signed a trio of veteran starters who are now set to join the rotation alongside Freeland. Blalock was designated for assignment to make room for Michael Lorenzen, and Márquez recently signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent. Senzatela appeared poised to remain in the bullpen at the end of last year, but manager Warren Schaeffer is giving him a chance this spring to potentially be a starter once again.

So, if the rotation is set with Freeland, Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano and José Quintana, who is the fifth starter that will break camp with the Rockies? Will it be Feltner in his return from injury? Will Dollander prove himself right out of the gate? Will it be Senzatela making his case to return to the rotation? Or will it be someone else — Gordon, Brown, or someone else entirely?

Let us know your thoughts!

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