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.

Rockies righty reliever Tyler Kinley threw a scoreless inning in Tuesday's 5-3 victory at San Francisco to lower his microscopic ERA to 0.78. But Kinley is more concerned with a much-larger home number. Heading into Wednesday, Kinley’s 24 appearances lead the team.

It’s a quantity stat that screams quality.

"The one stat that, if a pitcher does want to get caught up in, in the bullpen, should be appearances because, one, that means you're available, and two, it means that the coaching staff has trust in you,” said Kinley, who was tied for 10th in the NL in '21 with 70 appearances.

If there were more appearances for Kinley, who has 25 strikeouts in 23 innings, and righty Alex Colomé (20), and more closing opportunities for closer Daniel Bard (14, with Tuesday improving his conversion total to 12), the Rockies would be in far better shape. Struggles over the last month have reduced the number of leads the trio has been asked to protect. But if they catch fire after Tuesday, their eighth victory in the last 28 games, the Rockies have a dependable trio.

And no one is throwing better than Kinley, whose ERA represents the best start for a Rockies reliever since Adam Ottavino’s 0.51 through 22 games in 2016.

Why is Kinley earning the chances?

Originally with the Marlins, Kinley and longtime Major and Minor League pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal agreed that when he committed to the bullpen, he would go with his slider over the curve he used to throw.

“It wasn't the weapon it is today, but it was something I had a feel for, as I learned my body, my mechanics, my mentality,” Kinley said.

Although the slider is his best pitch in a vacuum, Kinley said his fastballs -- usually four-seam, but a two-seamer is becoming a bigger weapon -- are key.

“I use my slider like a fastball, use my fastball like a breaking ball -- that just mental attacking mode,” he said. “But I have to make hitters respect my fastball.”

Rockies pitching coach Reid Cornelius, who had some familiarity with Kinley when he worked for the Marlins, but didn’t work directly with him, said the philosophy of wanting to be the manager’s choice in big situations is every bit as big as Kinley’s pitches.

“When you ask him about goals, it’s never about strikeouts or an earned run average; it’s how many appearances,” Cornelius said. “It’s very similar to starting pitchers who want to throw 200 innings. It means they’re getting results for their team.”