Hill, young Rox building confidence through the final weekend

SAN FRANCISCO -- Rockies right-handed relief pitcher Jaden Hill made his sixth inning heartpounding Friday night during a 6-3 loss to the Giants at Oracle Park.

A hit and two walks, with a strong fielding play by Ezequiel Tovar along the way, left him with the bases loaded, and the count ran full against Willy Adames. Hill, though, finished the excitement by blowing a 98.3 mph sinker by the Giants’ star shortstop.

“It’s up to us pitchers to stay poised,” Hill said. “I put myself in that situation. It’s up to me to get out by whatever means -- strikeout, ground ball, fly ball. Stay poised. Trust your stuff.”

But at some point, heartbeats will be within healthy norms. Hill -- a 25-year-old rookie who was a second-round Draft pick in 2021 from LSU -- will sit down with pitching coach Darryl Scott, bullpen coach Dustin Garneau, pitching analyst Chris Bonk and coordinator of performance sciences Brandon Stone to go over his 1 2/3 innings against the Giants.

Sometimes these meetings are pitch by pitch. They might center on strategy or mechanics. They’re always thorough.

But the tone of the meeting is what impresses and invigorates Hill -- like many players on a team that has turned nearly completely over to youth and has a worst-in-the-Majors 43-117 record to show for it.

“I love it,” Hill said. “It’s a collective, group conversation. We’re all on the same page. And they’re very dedicated and genuine. You can go to any of them and ask any question.”

Each outing is a class. The lessons have been quite pleasing on the road, where Hill has a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings over 12 outings, and hard at home, where he carries a 5.28 ERA over 15 1/3 innings.

Hill presented an argument during Spring Training for inclusion on the Opening Day roster. But a roster that carried more experienced pitchers Tyler Kinley (since traded to the Braves), Jake Bird (traded to the Yankees) and Scott Alexander (released) dictated that the Rockies option Hill to Triple-A Albuquerque. He had a one-week Major League cameo, then he sustained a right hamstring injury after being optioned back to Albuquerque.

But since being recalled on July 27, his 24 appearances have led the Rockies’ bullpen.

Regardless of the results of the previous game, interim manager Warren Schaeffer has stuck with Hill in either close games or, in rare occasions, to protect a lead. Hill, Juan Mejia, Jimmy Herget (the only 30-plus reliever in the active bullpen) and closer Victor Vodnik have pitched well more often than not during the second half.

“He keeps it consistent,” Hill said. “He has confidence in us. That allows me to go out there and be ready each and every day.”

Free-agent-to-be Germán Márquez made his 200th and likely last start for the Rockies, yielding six runs in 4 1/3 innings. Hill got the call to replace him with runners at first and third.

Bryce Eldridge drove Hill’s first pitch to right field for a sacrifice fly, but Hill forced a Casey Schmitt liner to left to end the inning. He made enough trouble for himself in the sixth before fanning Adames.

“He continues to be on an upward trajectory through the end of the season, even though he got into trouble with a couple of walks,” Schaeffer said. “Good pitchers get out of that, and he did.”

Not the (probable) farewell he wanted
Márquez, who broke in with the Rockies in late 2016, helped the team to the postseason in 2017 and ’18 and was an All-Star in 2021, largely struggled at the beginning and end of his last season under contract.

Limited to one start last season after Tommy John surgery in 2023, Márquez got off to a slow start this year, with a 9.90 ERA through May 4. He found his form over a 12-start period from May to early July, with a 3.58 ERA, before leaving a July 20 start against the Twins with right biceps tendinitis.

In six starts after his return, a less-than-sharp Márquez pitched to a 10.29 ERA with 10 homers allowed.

“There were a lot of ups and downs,” Márquez said. “If this is my last game as a Rockie, I just want to thank everybody – my teammates, coaches, fans. I love Denver. I know things didn’t go well, but I tried hard to be good and gave my best to the end to win.”