DENVER -- The elusive intangible of momentum powered Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan on Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday night, Sullivan delivered a pinch-hit single to set up Sterlin Thompson’s winning single in a Rockies walk-off. Sullivan followed that up on Thursday with his first career multihomer game in the Rockies’ 9-3 loss to the Cubs.
“We played 10 hours ago – let’s roll it out there,” Sullivan said. “I was just trying to ride the momentum from last night and keep it simple.”
One of three catchers on a roster that has seen 2025 All-Star Hunter Goodman receive most of the starts, Sullivan is on a roll. In his last seven games, Sullivan has gone 7-for-16 (.438) to lift his batting average from .187 to .231. Thursday’s homers, which lifted his season total to three, came off Cubs starter Edward Cabrera in the third inning and reliever Tyler Ferguson in the ninth.
By going 3-for-4, Sullivan matched his best offensive performance at Cincinnati on April 29. This season has been the most playing time Sullivan, 32, has received in the Majors. Drafted by the Rays in the 17th round in 2015, Sullivan was an infielder who took up catching late and earned Major League time with the Padres (2023-24) and Pirates (2025).
“He’s looked very comfortable the past week or so up at the plate, and he’s got some opportunities to play,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Two homers in one game, that’s pretty special.”
Sullivan’s offensive numbers were solid through April (.741 OPS). A combination of an offensive downturn and the addition of a second left-handed-hitting catcher, Braxton Fulford, who was called up on May 18, affected his performance in May (.398 OPS). Sullivan and Fulford start behind the plate occasionally and give Schaeffer offensive substitution options. Both run well, so they don’t have to be used strictly as defensive replacements.
But it’s tough to have momentum while sharing playing time that was occasional to begin with.
“It’s not just personal momentum,” Sullivan said. “It’s team momentum. The guys have been playing great. We’ve won three of our last four series, so when you get in there, you’re trying to keep up and just do your part.”