Colorado Rockies news and links for Friday, June 20, 2025
In my list of Rockpile ideas, I have had a lingering item that I dreaded I might have to write: the end of the Germán Márquez era.
As the best and most consistent Rockies pitcher since 2017, the cornerstone of an ever-doomed rotation that’s been on the decline since 2019 and the most fun starter to watch, I was worried Márquez was done.
Márquez, for his part, has mostly been absent over the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery early in the 2023 season. A slow recovery and lingering inflammation in his right elbow saw him make only five combined starts in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Just having Márquez back in the starting rotation this season was a morale boost. But the Venezuelan native was getting hit hard and looked deflated on the mound, especially after frequently struggling in the first inning with a 9.82 ERA in the frame through 15 games. When he recorded his 1,000th strikeout on April 25 against the Kansas City Royals, becoming the first Rockie to reach the milestone, he didn’t look like the same guy who had thrown most of those strikeouts.
“Baseball is hard — and I’m putting too much pressure on myself to be good,” Márquez told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding after that game. “It’s difficult to get to 1,000 strikeouts. But it’s hard right now. I can’t celebrate it with the loss. I’m not doing very well right now.”
Through his first nine starts, Márquez posted an 8.78 ERA, going 1-6 while the Rockies went 2-7. It was absolutely heartbreaking to witness.
Until it wasn’t.
In the last six games, from May 22 to June 18, Márquez has shown flashes of his 2021 All-Star self, earning a 2.94 ERA during the stretch.
“He’s in a really good spot moving forward,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said after Wednesday’s win.
While some pitchers return from Tommy John better than ever, its 90% success rate means that 10% are never the same. They may have to undergo the procedure again, or it makes them more susceptible to other injuries.
For Márquez, his velocity is declining, just as you might expect from a 30-year-old, 10-year MLB veteran, but he’s using a new pitch rotation that favors his knuckle curve and sinker over his former No. 1 and No. 2 pitches, the four-seam fastball and slider, respectively. The result is that he is getting better and better with each start.
In 2021, Márquez threw the knuckle curve at a career-low rate of 18.2%. This year, he’s at a career-high 29.6%. When he broke into the league, he threw his four-seam fastball 54.3% of the time, and now it’s at a career-low 28.6%. This year, opposing teams are hitting .184 against his knuckle ball vs. .351 against his four-seamer.
Márquez got batters to hit grounders 52.8% in 2021, while he got hitters to connect for air balls (combining fly balls, line drives, and popups) 47.2% of the time. This season, his groundball rate is a career-low 39.5% while his air rate is a career-high 60.9%. Long-lasting MLB pitchers, regardless of their surgery and health, have to evolve and adapt to have a successful career. Outs are outs, but pitchers must constantly change to get opposing hitters to produce them.
With any luck, and thanks to his resilience and constant evolution, Márquez is on his way to a solid 2025. Instead of just focusing on the past, for the first time since April of 2023, Márquez’s future looks promising.
In the final year of his two-year, $20 million deal, Márquez’s continued success could lead to positive outcomes for the Rockies. On one hand, he could become a valuable asset to build the farm system as the trade deadline approaches. On the other hand, and more in line with Rockies standard operating procedure, Márquez could earn another contract and become the veteran to build a young rotation around as the franchise tries to climb out of MLB’s basement in the coming years.
Either way, it’s great to see for a guy like Márquez. If he keeps trending in the right direction, the Rockies will benefit.
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On the farm
Triple-A: Tacoma Rainiers 4, Albuquerque Isotopes 2
Julio Carreras hit an RBI single in the eighth and the Istopes scored another run when Trevor Boone scored while Sterlin Thompson hit into a double play, but the rally wasn’t enough for Albuquerque to complete the comeback on Thursday night in Tacoma. Drew Romo scored a run and Owen Miller recorded two hits. Andrew Quezada took the loss, giving up two runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 6, Reading Fightin Phils 4
GJ Hill hit a two-run single, Kyle Karros had two hits and scored a run and Cole Carrig and Braiden Ward each hit run-scoring groundouts to help the Yard Goats overcome a 2-0 lead to win on Thursday. Sean Sullivan improved to 5-2 after throwing seven innings and giving up four runs on seven hits, two of which were homers, while striking out eight. Alec Barger pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts for a hold and Brayan Castillo threw a three-up, three-down ninth for the save.
High-A: Everett AquaSox 8, Spokane Indians 3
Everett jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and hit four homers on Thursday in defeating Spokane. Darius Perry hit a solo homer in the bottom of the third and Aidan Longwell followed with a two-run shot, but that was it for the Indian offense.
Single-A: Fresno Grizzlies 16, Visalia Rawhide 6
Fresno scored four runs in the first inning and five in the ninth to complete an offensive explosion victory. Derek Bernard, Blake Wright and Felix Tena each homered for the Grizzlies, Wright, Tena, Nolan Clifford and Robert Calaz each posted three hits, and Jackson Cox, Justin Loer and Felix Ramires each recorded scoreless outings in a combined eight shutout innings for Fresno.
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Colorado Rockies dig in against MLB’s worst season ever: ‘Go straight through it’ | USA Today
Gabe Lacques talks with interim manager Warren Schaeffer and several players, including Mickey Moniak, Hunter Goodman and Michael Toglia, about their mentality on enduring and trying to learn from 2025’s disastrous start.
Denver 7 checked in on the pulse of Rockies nation and found hopeful and hopeless vibes among the Rockies faithful. This article also has great questions from KOA Rockies radio voice Jack Corrigan.
Keeler: If Rockies really love Ryan McMahon, German Marquez, they’ll trade them | Denver Post ($)
The July 31 trade deadline is approaching and Keeler expresses everyone’s questions about whether or not the Rockies front office will be active at the trade deadline or not in the midst of the worst start in MLB history.
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