Tyler Chatwood’s long slog back to the major leagues will take him through the Dominican instructional league sometime in January. And when he’s done globe-trotting, the Rockies right-hander will return to a pitching rotation drastically different from when he left.
The Rockies might not have a quality pitching staff this season — their starters have a 5.32 ERA, second-worst in the majors, ahead of only the Phillies’ 5.36.
But Colorado certainly has quantity.
“We’ve seen over the years, we go through some pitching,” manager Walt Weiss said. “We use a number of starters over the course of a six-month season.
“So the more the merrier.”
The Rockies on Wednesday shut down rookie Jon Gray and veteran lefty Jorge De La Rosa for the season. Gray reached his pre-planned innings limit. De La Rosa has tendinitis in his right foot.
Yohan Flande also is out with a knee bruise, so the Rockies will forgo a six-man rotation and return to the normal five. Colorado plopped in Christian Bergman and David Hale as replacements.
Bergman on Wednesday got battered by the Pittsburgh Pirates for seven runs on 10 hits in 3 innings. And Pittsburgh raced to a 13-7 victory.
Rookie catcher Tom Murphy’s three-run homer in the fifth started a Rockies rally, but the Pirates held on to clinch a third playoff berth in three years.
That leaves the Rockies with eight starters who have pitched this month, including Chad Bettis, Chris Rusin and Kyle Kendrick. Add in Chatwood and Jordan Lyles (broken toe), and Tyler Matzek and Eddie Butler in Triple-A, and that’s 12 pitchers for five starting spots — with a lot to sort out before next season.
“Guys are going to have to step up,” Chatwood said. “We have to get better.”
Without a clear ace — De La Rosa, at 34, is their No. 1 by default — the Rockies instead are throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks.
“It’s been good to see guys work hard and find a spot,” Chatwood said. “Bettis has done real well this year. And Rusin, coming in.”
Chatwood underwent Tommy John elbow surgery, his second, last year. Chatwood was a key part of a Rockies rotation that was also supposed to include De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Juan Nicasio and Brett Anderson. Only two remain.
It’s wildly different now. And Weiss refused to even predict who would be in the rotation in spring training.
“That will sort itself out next spring,” Weiss said. “Faces always tend to change by the time you get to spring training. It’s always different than you thought it might be six months earlier.”
Chatwood and Lyles threw simulated games Wednesday at Coors Field as part of their rehab. They will pitch in winter instructional leagues.
Gray reached his innings limit Monday. Last season in the minor leagues, Gray pitched 124 innings. This season he increased to 155 between Triple-A and the major leagues. The Rockies called him up Aug. 4.
“It was pretty black and white,” Weiss said of the decision to shut Gray down. Gray finished 0-2 with a 5.53 ERA in nine starts.
The Rockies’ plan for him in 2016 is to pitch a complete season.
“He’ll still work on mechanics over the last couple weeks,” Weiss said. “And he’ll have a typical offseason. He should be built up and ready to go for a full season next year.”
The rest of the rotation will sort it out in crowded competition.
“I don’t consider my job guaranteed,” Chatwood said. “I can’t worry about what other guys are doing. I know I have to earn it.”
Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or @nickgroke
