Veteran lefty Quintana will bring experience to Rockies' rotation
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Suddenly, the Rockies have a chance to field an experienced starting rotation.
The one-year deal that veteran left-hander Jose Quintana has agreed to – according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, with FanSided’s Robert Murray reporting it at $6 million – will give the Rockies’ 40-man Major League roster six pitchers who were beyond their rookie season in 2025.
The club has not confirmed Quintana's signing, but it’s expected to become official before Thursday’s first workout for pitchers and catchers at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
The veteran-ness the Rockies are starting 2026 with is normal around the game. But that was not the case last season, when Colorado finished 43-119 (tied for the third-worst record in the Modern Era) and posted the highest starter ERA (6.65) since ERA became an official stat in 1913. Because of injuries and general ineffectiveness, at times last season lefty Kyle Freeland was the only starter beyond his rookie season.
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This year, the Rockies have signed righties Michael Lorenzen, 34, Tomoyuki Sugano , 36, and, once official, Quintana, 37 – who in 100 starts since 2022 has achieved a 3.53 ERA that ranks in the top 40 among any pitcher with at least 300 innings in that time.
Add to those the longtime rotation member Freeland, righty Ryan Feltner, 29, looking for a rebound from back and right shoulder issues last season, and – manager Warren Schaeffer revealed Wednesday – righty Antonio Senzatela, 31, who finished last season in the bullpen but could undergo a revival should an expansion of his pitch mix work.
Also competing for the rotation will be two righties who were rookies in 2025 – rookies Chase Dollander, the ninth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and Tanner Gordon, who was the Rockies’ most productive starter in the final months.
The Rockies are not commenting directly on Quintana until the deal goes official. But in discussing the Sugano signing on Tuesday and knowing the Quintana deal was coming, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said, “The old adage rings true that you never have enough good pitching, so I think we’ll continue to look at it.”
In three of the last four seasons, Quintana has had an ERA below 4.00 in 130 or more innings, with the other season being a 3.57 ERA over 75 2/3 innings in 2023.
Quintana has appeared for eight teams over 14 seasons. There was a period early in his career with the White Sox when the Rockies – then building toward their postseason appearances in 2017 and '18 – were reported to have engaged in trade discussions under then-general manager Jeff Bridich.
Spring Training … not spring straining
Under DePodesta, new general manager Josh Byrnes and Schaeffer, who replaced Bud Black last May on an interim basis and was promoted to full-time manager in November, the plan is for an efficient Spring Training.
The Rockies have championed a “grinder” mentality, with some of their best players – think Todd Helton and, more recently, Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon – admired for putting in extra work and study. But the Rockies also realize they go in and out of an atmosphere with less oxygen than anywhere else in the Majors. Over the years, they have collected data, tested sleep innovations and adjusted travel and workout schedules based on rest and recovery. Now they will cut down on some of the pounding before the season starts on March 27.
When full-squad workouts begin Monday, the work day will be concentrated.
“Instead of doing individual defense where you’d have all of the infielders there at one time taking ground balls, there’s going to be a better player-to-coach ratio,” Schaeffer said. “A higher level of focus, as opposed to mass ground balls. Same on the outfield side.
“And in the schedule, there’s built-in time for [batting] cage work. Therefore, guys don’t have to come in so early to get in the cage. You can value sleep, which is huge. Spring Training is to get guys locked and loaded by the time we go to Miami.”
Still hurting
Kris Bryant, who was placed on the 60-day injured list with the lumbar degenerative back disease that has bothered him since his first year with the club in 2022, will do most of his rehab work at hom in Las Vegas.
“His back is really bothering him,” Schaeffer said. “He’ll come in for a physical and be around for a little while. Then he’s really found some things that have helped him back home. So get him back there as quickly as we can to push him along in his rehab process.”
Freeman slowed
Utility player Tyler Freeman, the leadoff hitter for much of last season, has a back issue that should slow him during the first week of camp but not affect his availability when the season starts.