SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A couple hours before the Monday night’s game, on the eve of their Spring Training finale, Rockies skipper Warren Schaeffer was still mum on just how his club’s bullpen will enter 2026.
By the time the night ended, the ’pen did just enough to get past the Tigers, 6-5, at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick as Jaden Hill, Chase Dollander and Victor Vodnik combined to allow just one run on six hits over 4 2/3 innings. Hollander picked up the win while Vodnik nailed down the save to secure the Rockies’ 15th win of spring.
Schaeffer wasn’t ready to assign roles just yet, but liked what he saw Monday -- and maybe we will see it again later.
“Jaden Hill, nice job coming in there. We wanted to get him a situation like that and it worked out,” Schaeffer said. “Also Victor, we’re gonna see a lot of that this year late in the game.”
The bullpen supported a strong outing from righty Ryan Feltner, who made his third and final start of the spring. Feltner exited in the fifth with a one-run lead after 68 pitches (41 strikes) in an outing where he used six different pitches. Chemistry continues to build between catcher Hunter Goodman, Feltner, and first-year pitching coach Alon Leichman calling pitches from the dugout.
“I loved it,” Feltner said of calls coming from the dugout. “I like to spread out my arsenal a lot in terms of usage, and I think we did that tonight. It takes a lot off me and Goodie.”
With the pitching roster thinning its way down as Cactus League play wraps up, the Rockies released right-handed pitcher John Brebbia on Monday, who was a non-roster invitee to camp after splitting time with the Braves and Tigers in 2025. Also, righty Valente Bellozo was reassigned to Minor League camp.
Spring Training wraps up Tuesday, but first baseman TJ Rumfield -- who earned the club’s Abby Greer Award on Monday, presented annually to the Rockies’ Spring Training MVP -- continued his spring tear. Rumfield crushed a 426-foot homer to center Monday, his fifth of the spring, in the fourth inning.
“Not knowing until today that I won [the award], I didn’t really get the full grasp of what it means, but it’s such an honor,” Rumfield said. “I take it in stride and I just try to put my best foot forward. It was a good spring.”
The Rockies also got a home run Monday from Troy Johnston, who came on to pinch-hit for Mickey Moniak after the outfielder jammed his finger getting back to the bag in the first inning. Moniak was taken out strictly as a precaution, though.
Karros ready for Major League opportunity
Kyle Karros got the news Sunday that he secured an Opening Day roster spot, setting the stage for the 23-year-old first baseman to get his second stint in the Majors after batting .226 over 43 games last season after making his big league debut on Aug. 8.
There was little doubt who got his first phone call.
“It was my dad. He’s probably always gonna get the first news as far as baseball stuff is concerned,” Karros said of his dad, Eric, whose 1992 Rookie of the Year campaign kicked off a 14-year MLB career spent with the Dodgers, Cubs and Athletics. “He said he was super proud and all that but he’s seeing the big picture as well. Definitely a huge accomplishment, but there’s a lot of work to be done.”
Kyle was a fifth-round Draft pick of the Rockies in 2023 and has moved up the ranks quickly.
After 1,000-plus plate appearances in the Minors, Karros finally got his chance last year, but it wasn’t until this spring where he really turned a corner against fellow big leaguers. Karros is batting .390 with a 1.103 OPS over 41 at-bats in 15 Cactus League games, adding to his feats with an RBI triple in the fourth on Monday.
“I’ve always felt like I’m ready, especially putting up the numbers I put up in the Minor Leagues,” Karros said. “I think I’ve just come into this camp more physical, faster, stronger and ready to play at the big league level.”
He’ll appear on his first career Opening Day roster this Friday in Miami, although he admits that the hurried pace of the final days of Spring Training didn’t leave him much time to enjoy the big news.
“I celebrated by packing my apartment into my car,” Karros said while laughing. “It wasn’t too pleasant.”