This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding's Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When Chad Kuhl returns from the right hip flexor strain that landed him on the 15-day injured list, he’ll resume his quest to solidify himself as a Major League starter.

Kuhl signed with the Rockies for that reason, and he seemed to be headed in that direction when he tossed a three-hit shutout against the Dodgers on June 27 at Coors Field that lowered his ERA to 3.49 through 14 starts.

But Kuhl hasn't been able to back up that performance since, netting a 10.14 ERA over his last six starts.

His outing on Wednesday against the Padres was especially concerning. With Petco Park giddy over the arrivals of Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury, Kuhl made a mess of his first inning with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Jake Cronenworth, followed by a Drury grand slam. He ultimately slogged through five innings and gave up nine runs on eight hits (three home runs).

The hope is that when Kuhl returns he will have fully incorporated a setup adjustment to restore his direction toward home plate and eliminate spinning toward first base. If he can right himself, Kuhl could be a candidate to return to the Rockies under the same conditions as this year -- a low-cost contract, with the opportunity to make the rotation. Even if it’s elsewhere, Kuhl, who turns 30 in September, wants to start.

Last year, the Pirates -- for whom Kuhl pitched five seasons -- placed him in the bullpen after his late-season bout with COVID-19. Pittsburgh liked what they saw and wanted to keep him in a relief role, but non-tendered him when he made it clear he wanted to start. The Rockies offered that opportunity, but they were considering having him work out of the 'pen, at least temporarily, before the IL stint.

Kuhl pitches with an entertaining intensity, but it can turn against him. In short bursts out of the bullpen, can that trait be used to his advantage?

“There’s always been that feeling or thought,” he said. “I definitely know there is more velo in there. I have a couple breaking pitches that grade out very well. But the reason I signed [with the Rockies] was to be a starting pitcher. I still have that belief.”

Kuhl’s fervor can warm hearts when he pitches well. But if he’s not careful, that trait could turn against him and take a life of its own.

When he gave up five runs in 3 2/3 innings in a loss to the Dodgers on July 29, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted that Kuhl’s “body language” told them he didn’t have his best stuff. Contending teams had considered acquiring Kuhl at the Trade Deadline, but his recent struggles led those clubs elsewhere.

Against the Padres, with the uneasiness of the Trade Deadline behind him, his body spoke almost as loudly as the crowd cheered. Each poor result brought about grimaces and jerks, hand raises and kicks and just about anything that screamed frustration.

Kuhl sees the body language talk as noise.

“The pitch doesn’t know that I had bad body language,” Kuhl said. “The pitch isn’t smart enough to do that. The baseball doesn’t do that. I’ve had those talks before.

“I think it’s part of what makes me good, that I care so much. If I back down a little bit … that’s never been my way.”

But looking past his reactions between pitches, it’s hard not to link his intensity with the problem during the pitch, which can be described as “flying open” or “overthrowing.” Then, it’s easy to see the temptation to put him in a spot where his adrenaline can work for him.

But objectively, when Kuhl has body control, it doesn’t matter what he does between pitches. That’s what he will be addressing during his time on the injured list.

Kuhl has raised his pre-pitch positioning of his hands from “the bottom of my sternum to closer to my clavicle.”

Here is where he wants to be:

The idea is to put the arm in throwing position quicker, which means it doesn’t have to catch up as much with his stride, and he’ll stay more in line with home plate.

During Spring Training, Kuhl fooled with his windup and took a beating in an outing against the Giants. He smoothed it out by the start of the season. But working on new mechanics while facing the likes of the Dodgers and Padres is a tough ask.

“The changes that I have started to make and need to still make and get better with, there’s no time but right now to make those changes,” Kuhl said. “Those changes need to be made. Unfortunately, you don’t get the dividend in game one, but it’s something that needs continuing.”

Kuhl now has time to incorporate the changes he needs to make, in hopes that he pitches well enough as a starter that he doesn’t have to make a change to his job description.