DENVER -- Friday afternoon’s Coors Field opener had to go sideways in a hurry for right-handed pitcher Valente Bellozo to be “the hero of the game,” according to Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer.
But with a Rockies team at the beginning of the climb back from seven straight losing seasons, including 43 wins last year, Bellozo’s mere availability in the 10-1 loss was an under-the-radar step toward team improvement.
And if Bellozo has more performances like Friday, when he tied for the second-most relief innings in a game in club history by pitching the final six, he could find a place for himself along this journey.
After being sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque after nearly grabbing a spot with solid work late in the spring, Bellozo was called up Thursday when lefty starter Jose Quintana was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain.
“Today, when I was called up it was, ‘Hey, maybe you’re not on the Opening Day [squad], but you’re going to be in on Opening Day in Colorado,” Bellozo said.
Bellozo’s home opener opportunity came because Michael Lorenzen struggled in his first home start of his one-year, $8 million contract -- a career-worst nine runs on 12 hits, including homers by Brandon Marsh (a three-run shot in the first) and Bryce Harper (a solo homer in the second).
But Bellozo -- whose best pitch is a cutter, but his main talent is mixing it with five other pitches -- saved the bullpen by pitching the rest of the game on 77 pitches, the same number it took Lorenzen in his three frames.
His seven strikeouts tied Allan Simpson (Aug. 8, 2003) for the third-most in a relief appearance in club history, behind nine by Bruce Ruffin (Sept. 14, 1993) and Chi Chi Gonzalez (Sept. 21, 2019). Ruffin holds the innings record at 6 1/3 (July 28, 1993); Bellozo tied two six-inning relief outings by Brian Bohanon (April 20 and May 12, 2000) and Clayton Mortensen (April 18, 2011).
“He keeps hitters off balance, and he’s got no fear,” Schaeffer said of Bellozo. “He attacks with all his stuff.
“He had 64 pitches going into the last inning. That’s impressive against that lineup.”
Bellozo, 26, whose pro career began with the Astros before he was traded to the Marlins in 2024, made 45 appearances (six starts) over the last two seasons with the Marlins, with 98 strikeouts against 45 walks.
Bellozo’s pitch mix has never been overpowering. On Friday, his 18 four-seam fastballs averaged 90.1 mph, his seven sinkers averaging 87.6 and his 22 cutters averaging 85.7. He also sprinkled in curveballs (four), changeups (13) and sweepers (13). But when a team is looking for a pitcher capable of starting or pitching for multiple innings, a guy like Bellozo could be a bargain -- and could develop into something more.
“He attacks and studies hitters, and he’s super smart,” said Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman, who developed a rapport with Bellozo the last two years as assistant pitching coach with Miami. “He’s always prepared.
“When it comes down to it, he’s someone you can trust.”
Bellozo said, “When they told me I was coming up here, my first call was to Alon to ask, ‘What’s the plan?’ He said it was like with the Marlins, and I was focused on that. Personally, today was really good, but it was a loss for the team.”
In comparison to this point last year, however, merely having Bellozo is an improvement for the Rockies.
As last year opened, veteran Austin Gomber was dealing with a left shoulder issue and was unable to make his first start.
The Rockies’ answer was to call upon 2023 first-round Draft pick Chase Dollander for the rotation after one Triple-A start. That was despite the fact that while Dollander showed talent in Spring Training, his spotty strike zone performance led the Rockies to send him to Albuquerque.
In hindsight, the reversal was a panic move -- one of many as the team repeatedly called up players with less-than-ideal development time. Dollander, by the way, is continuing his education as a bulk reliever who earned a win Monday at Toronto and will likely see action in Saturday’s game with the Phils.
Having Bellozo meant the Rockies didn’t have to call on lefty No. 11 prospect Sean Sullivan or righty No. 16 prospect Gabriel Hughes, who have begun the year with high-strikeout performances. Colorado can choose whether to call up righty Tanner Gordon (0.82 ERA through two starts) soon or keep him in Albuquerque to hone his adjusted pitch grips.
With his performance Friday, Bellozo indicated that he can grow into more than a fill-in.
“My mentality is to win ballgames how the team wants to use me,” Bellozo said. “The most important team is helping the team to win ballgames, to be in the best position to be in the series. Today, we lost, but we’ve got a lot of options to win the series.”