PEORIA, Ariz. — Walt Weiss will wait for the wire to finalize the Rockies’ opening-day roster, the manager said Friday. And he won’t settle on a lineup until Monday, when Colorado faces the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of 162.
“We’ll probably take it right to the end,” Weiss said from the dugout of a Padres practice field before the Rockies faced the Seattle Mariners in a Cactus League game late Friday night.
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His remaining decisions will boil down to filling the final two bullpen spots and the end of the bench.
Right-hander Scott Oberg and lefty Jason Gurka are battling for a bullpen spot, while Yohan Flande has an outside chance. Their inclusion depends on the structure of the Rockies’ roster.
Weiss is hedging toward fielding an extended bullpen. But it would leave him with a short bench. If Colorado carries an extra arm, it would bump Brandon Barnes to Triple-A.
“They’re here,” Weiss said. “They’re all a part of the discussion.”
Coors Field starter? Weiss said he has decided on a starting pitcher for the Rockies’ home opener Friday, but he’s not tipping his hand. “We know, but we haven’t talked to those guys yet,” he said. Tyler Chatwood and Jordan Lyles will take up the third and fourth spots in the rotation behind Jorge De La Rosa and Chad Bettis.
Bullpen issues. Jason Motte, the veteran right-hander who signed a two-year contract, is not pitching yet after a shoulder injury set him down. Motte signed a $10 million deal to join the Rockies bullpen, but he’ll start the season on the disabled list.
The Rockies, who invested in offseason to upgrade the National League’s worst bullpen last season, have taken a hit early. Power arm Jairo Diaz underwent Tommy John surgery earlier in spring.
“We have to get guys out,” Weiss said. “I don’t care what that looks like.”
Practice games almost done. The Rockies finish their Cactus League schedule Saturday when they host the Mariners at Salt River Fields. They will finish with a winning record in practice games — Colorado was 15-12-3 before Friday. Nick Groke, The Denver Post
