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.
PITTSBURGH -- Rockies right-hander Tanner Gordon has lived many baseball players’ dreams. He debuted in the Majors with Colorado on July 7, 2024, earned his first win against the Yankees last May 23, that kind of stuff.
While Thursday’s four innings of one-run pitching -- with five strikeouts in a 7-2 Rockies loss to the Pirates -- was the type of pitching performance many aspire to, he was so sleep-deprived that he wasn’t sure it was actually happening.
“Honestly, it feels like a dream, if I’m being transparent,” a groggy Gordon said after.
Two roster moves involving right-handed reliever Jimmy Herget turned Gordon, 28, into a reluctant frequent flyer.
Gordon was promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque on April 14 and pitched long relief in five games before the Rockies activated Herget from the bereavement/family emergency list on Tuesday. But Herget pitched that night and was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement.
So Gordon was summoned back. That would have been a taxing two-day odyssey if he were on a private plane or even on direct flights. But flights to Triple-A aren’t luxuries. He took the long route from Pittsburgh on Tuesday to the mound at PNC Park on Thursday.
First, Pittsburgh to Salt Lake City, to Albuquerque for a throwing session Wednesday.
“Then I got to the field, touched the mound and threw a little bit, started my lift and then they told me I was going back up,” Gordon said. “So I packed up all my stuff that I just unpacked, went to the house I was at and packed.”
Then came the trip from Albuquerque to Los Angeles (two-hour layover), to Atlanta (four-hour flight, plus two-hour layover), to Pittsburgh.
“I got here at 9 a.m,” Gordon said in an interview that ended with a half-joking, “You know you'll be pitching today.”
That's exactly what happened. Starter Chase Dollander sustained a sprained right elbow ligament to set off a pitching scramble that led to Gordon entering the contest in the fourth.
Gordon stayed awake long enough to help the Rockies, who don’t have a day off until May 28 and cannot afford to tax their bullpen.
“Literally on a plane the entire night, multiple layovers, very difficult to do -- and he did a heck of a job for us,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.
Gordon’s efficient 69 pitches showed that sleep was overrated, at least in this case. Then again, Gordon has spent this season learning that he can be effective even when he doesn’t have to be in control of all circumstances.
Gordon started all 23 combined games he pitched for the Rockies in 2024 and 2025 and had a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings in Spring Training. But on March 17 -- just as his family was arriving to support a bid to make the Opening Day roster -- the club optioned him to Albuquerque to work on pitch-grip adjustments. After three starts and a 2.76 ERA in Triple-A, Colorado recalled him to pitch in long relief.
He held the Astros scoreless for four innings on April 15 in his first Major League relief appearance, but the six runs he allowed in four innings against the Dodgers in his next game drove up his ERA. Thursday’s performance against the Pirates lowered it to 5.57 in six Major League games.
Learning is taking place.
“It helped me realize how quickly I can get ready, and that takes the pressure off pitching a little bit,” Gordon said. “Pitching isn’t easy at all, but when you’re in a situation where you have to get up and go, you’re relaxed. And this showed me that I can play both roles.”
The plan behind sending Gordon down was to have him make starts to build up his pitch count so he could provide rotation depth. However, the Rockies may need that depth now with Dollander heading to the injured list with a right UCL sprain.
It’s not a stretch to believe Gordon has the durability -- he has thrown 60 or more pitches three times this year and has gone as high as 84. Schaeffer also is keen on using openers, which could allow Gordon to enter a game later but pitch most of the innings.
The Rockies are happy with his development.
“He attacks hitters and makes them earn it,” pitching coach Alon Leichman said. “He has a very good fastball and change, with a cutter to keep guys honest. He mixes more pitches, which makes him tough to hit. He needs to keep working on his breaking balls.”
Gordon will work on that, after he gets a little sleep.