The words from Bud Black were meant as praise and as a call to action.
“This guy can be one of the best pitchers in the National League, I believe,” the Rockies manager said Saturday before the Rockies hosted Arizona. “Part of my challenge is to get him there.”
Black was talking about right-hander , who’s scheduled to start against Arizona on Sunday afternoon at .
Chatwood (2-4, 5.40 ERA) is being counted on to be one of Colorado’s go-to starters this season, especially with out with a stress fracture in his foot and with out for an undetermined length of time as he battles cancer. Instead, Chatwood has been a disappointment, giving up nine home runs and 15 walks in 36 ⅔ innings.
Black points to Chatwood’s gem on April 15 at San Francisco as an example of what the right-hander can do. In that game, he blanked the Giants 5-0, allowing two hits, striking out four, walking one and getting 18 groundball outs over nine innings.
“He’s got to be able to finish some games and finish off some innings,” Black said. “He hasn’t quite been able to do that with the exception of that game in San Francisco. For me, it’s about using all of his pitches, fundamental pitching principles and limiting the walks.”
Chatwood needs to limit home runs too. All nine homers he has served up have come on fastballs, a product of getting behind in counts and not mixing in enough off-speed pitches. Finally, if Chatwood is going to be a pitcher the Rockies can count on, he has to perform better at Coors Field, a place where he’s 5-10 with a 6.29 ERA over the last two seasons.
Wolter’s waits.
Starting catcher Tony Wolters is feeling “much better,” but remains on the bench as he recovers from a concussion suffered Tuesday when he was hit on the side of his head by a bat after a swing during a game at San Diego. Wolters was put in Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol and has to sit out a minimum of seven games.
He’s eligible to return Wednesday when the Rockies host the Cubs, but he doesn’t know if he’ll be ready then.
“I feel fine now, but we want to make sure everything is OK,” said Wolters, who underwent an exam Saturday. “I want to be right when I get back.”
CarGo update.
Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive game as he deals with a tight and sore right calf muscle. He took batting practice before the game and was tentatively available as a pitch hitter, but Black said the Rockies aren’t going to rush Gonzalez back.
Gonzalez was removed during before the bottom of the ninth inning of the Rockies’ 3-2, 11-inning victory at San Diego on Thursday. He’s hitting just .200 with only two home runs and six RBIs in 100 at-bats, but the Rockies continue to say he’s close to breaking out of his slump.
Looking ahead ….
Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (3-1, 4.19 ERA) at Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-4, 5.40), 1:10 p.m. Sunday, ROOT; 850 AM
Walker is turning into a strikeout machine, whiffing 10.22 batters per nine innings, up from 7.97 in 2016. But he has been inconsistent and has yet to win a road game this season. He pitched only 4 ⅔ innings in his last start and needed 117 pitches against the Nationals. Chatwood, counted on to be a consistent force on the mound this year for Colorado, has been maddeningly inconsistent. Since throwing a shutout at San Francisco on April 15, and then beating the Giants again at Coors Field on April 21, Chatwood has really struggled. He is 1-2 with a 7.16 ERA at Coors Field this season, and he’s 2-2 with a 6.75 ERA in four games (three starts) vs. the Diamondbacks at Coors.
Monday: Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (4-1, 4.63 ERA) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (4-1, 2.84), 6:40 p.m., ROOT
Tuesday: Cubs RHP John Lackey (2-3, 5.14) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (3-1, 2.65), 6:40 p.m., ROOT
Wednesday: Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (2-1, 3.51) at Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-2, 7.31), 1:10 p.m. ROOT
