Fans saw him on Saturday’s probable list and began hitting up friends or searching online for tickets.

At the same time, a question arrives via email and text: Will the Rockies ever have their version of Skenes?

They did. In 2010.

Ubaldo Jimenez posted a 19-8 record with a 2.88 ERA.

He threw a no-hitter at Atlanta. In the span of seven starts, he allowed fewer than two hits four times.Ěý He started the All-Star Game in Anaheim when he was 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA.

His four-seam fastball averaged 96.1 mph, per PITCHf/x data. His sinker — a bowling ball with devil’s horns — averaged 96.6 mph. For comparison, Skenes’ heater checks in at 97.1 mph this season.

Jimenez became Kevin Brown with Greg Maddux’s command, working 221 2/3 innings in 2010, third-most in Rockies’ history.

It is no coincidence that Colorado made the playoffs in 2007 and 2009 with Jimenez in the rotation. Because of an awkward exit in a trade, Jimenez remains one of the most underappreciated Rockies ever. He went 56-45 with a 3.66 ERA in six seasons, including 30-19 with a 3.66 ERA at Coors Field in 67 games.

The Rockies need a fire-breathing dragon.

They thought they had one in Chase Dollander, but he is facing elbow surgery.

With Skenes set to pitch at Coors Field — he is comfortable in Colorado after starring at Air Force — I figured it was a good time to catch up with Jimenez.

He still follows the Rockies — he took the mound in Denver last August when the Savannah Bananas were in town — and has ideas on how to help.

His first suggestion: stop letting starters run from the problem.

“In my opinion, they have to develop pitchers for Coors Field. They should avoid the mistake of emulating what the rest of MLB organizations are doing when it comes to preparation. They have to implement their own way,” Jimenez said. “To be a consistent starter in Colorado, your body requires endurance to resist the hardships of altitude and adaptations of going on the road. All the pitchers who were consistent in any kind of way — Pedro Astacio, Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, German Marquez, myself — we all ran distance the day after our games. I am an avid believer in running distance to stay healthy. And I always tell people who go against it, check baseball history and see how the all-time great ones lasted — running distance! ”

Jimenez understands that his advice jogs against the grain.

Today’s pitchers typically use short bursts and explosive movements in training to mimic moves made on the mound. There is no denying it has spiked velocity. It is impossible to watch a game and not see a pitcher flirt with triple digits or, in the case of Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, live there.

But at what cost?

Dollander, if and when he has surgery, will miss the remainder of this season and possibly all of 2027.

“I know. It’s so bad to think about that. I saw him pitch a couple of games,” Jimenez said. “And he has great stuff.”

Though the upcoming draft could change things, there is no other Dollander in the Rockies’ system. Brody Brecht, drafted in 2024, brings heat, but is struggling with command at Class-A Spokane.

Jimenez prescribes “an attitude for altitude.” He looks across the sport and connects injuries to training.

Brian Jordan, a former Rockies strength-and-conditioning coach in the majors and minors for 15 years, saw firsthand how Jimenez’s program paid dividends.

“He was very gifted and a very hard worker. I would agree that his running and lifting helped with his durability, while he was still explosive,” said Jordan, the owner and director of sports performance at Peak 303 in Englewood. “While not every pitcher could or should do the program he did, I absolutely agree that generally speaking mistakes are being made with how pitchers are being trained. When you sell out solely for performance, the trade-off is less durability. We are definitely seeing that at all levels, not just at the professional level.”

The Rockies raced off to a surprising start in April because of their pitching — 4.17 staff ERA — but the transmission dropped. Due to injuries to Jose Quintana, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner and Dollander, they have been forced to lean on younger arms and too hard on the bullpen. Colorado is 14-29 since May 1 with an ERA well north of 6.

“It has been a reminder that Coors Field games have more hits. And there are more home runs in the warm weather. The toll is a hard test,” Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes said on returning to work in Colorado for the first time since 2002. “We have looked at how many days off the (relievers) have had, and how many multiple-inning games they’ve had. We are still exploring and learning.”

There is no perfect formula. Even in seasons when the Rockies have pitched well, they have struggled to repeat their success.

But Jimenez is adamant that Colorado’s environment demands the proper baseline.

“I know that we should adapt to new times and use every resource to get better. And that pitchers must adjust preparation to what works for them. But you can’t eradicate the foundation of pitching longevity. Why do boxers run distance when preparing for a fight when they don’t run in the ring? To have the endurance to throw punches for 12 rounds,” Jimenez said. “In 50, 100 years from now the next generation will examine how pitching in this era changed so dramatically, and they’ll be asking who was the ‘genius’ who came up with developing every pitcher as a reliever.”

No power pitcher has ever pitched better in Denver than Jimenez. Even Skenes allowed four runs in five innings in his lone start at Coors Field last August.

It remains a baseball tragedy that Jimenez failed to become the Rockies’ first 20-game winner in 2010, a milestone missed because of bad luck, including a dropped popup, and meager offensive support.

That he remains the zenith explains the problem. The Rockies need more like him. It has been 19 years since Jimenez, along with left-hander Franklin Morales, was promoted from the minors and helped Colorado win 21 of 22 games to reach the World Series.

The Rockies have made significant year-over-year progress this season, but are still losing more games than anyone else.

This can change. But not without better starting pitching.

They need another Ubaldo. Or two.

“They have one of the greatest fan bases who support them and wait for the team every year (to improve),” Jimenez said. “They have many staffers in the organization who have worked so hard to reach the goal of winning a championship in Denver. Hopefully, they put it all together soon and God opens the door once again.”

The club’s prized right-hander is likely facing surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament, most likely Tommy John surgery.

“It¶¶Ňőap looking like surgery on the UCL,” manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters in Las Vegas. “Nothing is set in stone, but that¶¶Ňőap the way it¶¶Ňőap trending.”

As trends go, that’s about as bad as it gets. The Rockies, once again, have the worst starting rotation in the majors, owning a 5.88 ERA heading into Saturday night’s game vs. the A’s in Las Vegas.

Dollander, selected out of the University of Tennessee with the ninth overall pick of the 2023 draft, was supposed to author Colorado’s bright new chapter. But for all of his 100 mph firepower and talent, Dollander’s big league career had a rocky start.

As a rookie last season, he posted a 2-12 record with a 6.52 ERA, including a 9.98 mark at Coors Field. It was a bitter taste of reality for a pitcher that many in the organization believe can become the best pitcher in franchise history.

One reason for belief is a mentality that seems to prepare Dollander for success and the ability to cope with failure. As The Denver Post’s Troy Renck wrote during spring training, “Dollander believes the worst season of his life will be the best thing that happened to him.

“I will take the lessons I learned from it through the rest of my career,” Dollander said, looking back on Colorado’s 119-loss debacle. “I think if you don’t take it personally, you are not in a good spot. I definitely did. No. 1, we are too good to be getting tossed around like this. And No. 2, I am too good to be getting tossed around like this.”

But now Dollander’s career is being flipped upside-down. He is scheduled to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister next Friday. Meister, based in Texas, is an orthopedic surgeon and a specialist in elbow reconstruction. If Dollander undergoes surgery, he’ll be done for the rest of this season and most of next year. An internal brace procedure usually means a 12 to 14-month recovery. If Dollander requires a full elbow reconstruction, there’s a chance he’ll miss the entire 2027 season.

Either way, it’s a huge blow and presents a Mount Elbert-sized challenge for the Rockies’ front office.

More than seven months ago, in a suite at the Cosmopolitan Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, Paul DePodesta made a light-hearted but prophetic statement.

“I’ve used this phrase before, but I’m a bit of a sucker for a challenge,” DePodesta said with a laugh.

The Rockies’ president of baseball operations was less than a week into his new job when he made that quip during Major League Baseball’s general managers’ meetings.

“I have been part of (a rebuild) a number of different times,” DePodesta continued. “And I actually really enjoy it. I love winning — don’t get me wrong, that¶¶Ňőap ultimately where I want to get to — but building that, getting to the winning, is incredibly gratifying. So that was absolutely part of the attraction.”

Now, however, DePodesta and Co. have to figure out how to handle this glitch in their blueprint. The Rockies have some intriguing pitching prospects, including lefty Sean Sullivan (who made his debut Friday night), and right-handers Gabriel Hughes, Eiberson Castellano and Jackson Cox. But there is no pitcher in the system that has Dollander’s talent or wow factor.

DePodesta, general manager Josh Byrnes, and their lieutenants must work a trade like the one that landed right-hander German Marquez. He was acquired in one of the best deals in franchise history.

In January 2016, former GM Jeff Bridich engineered a trade for Marquez and reliever Jake McGee from Tampa Bay in exchange for outfielder Corey Dickerson and minor-league infielder Kevin Padlo.

Marquez debuted in late 2016 and made 29 starts in 2017 (4.39 ERA).ĚýIn 2018, at age 24, he blossomed into a star with one of the best seasons ever by a Rockies starter. He struck out 230 in 196 innings and finished with a 3.77 ERA. Over his final 14 starts, Marquez struck out 124 in 93 innings, posted a 2.61 ERA, and had six double-digit strikeout games — including four 11-K games in September as the Rockies qualified for the playoffs and came one win away from unseating the Dodgers from the National West throne.

The Rockies look like they are at least two seasons away from being a playoff contender. Without Dollander, that timeline gets dicey — unless DePodesta and Co. can work some magic before the Aug. 3 trade deadline and during the offseason.

The Rockies no longer embarrass themselves with split-squad spring training lineups or pitchers who need a compass to find the strike zone. It had grown so odorous, seven straight losing seasons, three consecutive with 100 losses. The spectacular failure was made worse by leadership hilariously trying to camouflage incompetence with arrogance.

The on-field product has made strides. The Rockies entered Saturday 26-44. They did not reach this win total last season until July 23 when they were 26-76.

It makes me think the 2027 or 2028 Purple Rox could become the 2026 Chicago White Sox.

All of which means nothing.

And the best thing is that the new front office recognizes this.

“In general, there has been some improvement. But, we have to be realistic. We have a ways to go,” general manager Josh Byrnes told The Post. “We have to get better, create something sustainable and maintain high standards as we chase that.”

Approaching the midpoint of the season, the Rockies are likable and watchable. They are in such a better place that it is easy to forget the mountains left to climb. Colorado is on pace for 60 wins. The fact that number is encouraging provides a reminder of how awful things had become.

Crowing about avoiding 100 losses is like bragging about being valedictorian when home-schooled.

It is why Byrnes was reluctant to acknowledge the inching forward.

Truth is: what have they done?

There are pockets of success that should not be ignored, like first baseman T.J. Rumfield’s rookie-of-the-year candidacy, Antonio Senzatela’s remarkable conversion from MLB’s worst starter to a dominant reliever, Willi Castro’s versatility and Cole Carrigg’s caffeinated energy, his promotion a reflection of the organization’s emphasis on swing decisions that will translate to the big leagues — 15 % strikeout rate, 11 % walk rate in Triple-A.

Of course, there is the gnashing of teeth about the pitching. The Rockies play at altitude and, at times, without gravity.

The historically strong April for the rotation seems like forever ago because of injuries to Chase Dollander — he is likely facing UCL surgery in his right elbow — and Jose Quintana (elbow) and the Coors Field fatigue of Kyle Freeland.

Sean Sullivan provided a jolt in his big league debut on Friday, but it is hardly soothing balm on this headache.

Forget Byrnes and president Paul DePodesta; Connie Mack and Branch Rickey were not fixing the Rockies overnight.

But the franchise belongs to the new leaders, and it is time for them to flex their muscles.

The trade deadline is not until Aug. 3, but there is little to be gained by waiting.

Other than catcher Hunter Goodman and Dollander, no player should be untouchable.

The Rockies have started calling around, piecing together potential fits and wants, aiming to accelerate Colorado’s return to contention.

“We are constantly in touch with other teams. The brainstorming is constant. Some are more motivated than others,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes showed shrewdness in acquiring Rumfield for forgettable reliever Angel Chivilli. They recently landed minor league reliever Andrew Baker from the Phillies for international bonus pool space. Don’t be surprised if the right-hander is in the big leagues in a few months.

Moves of all sizes must be considered and executed over the next seven weeks. This is why DePodesta and Byrnes were hired. They have friends across baseball who will actually take their calls.

The biggest chip is shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. He has $50 million remaining on his contract after this season. That cost certainty is the reason for not dealing him, and why he could land a haul of prospects if the acquiring club believes he will hit.

It is obvious Senzatela will be dealt. Getting a future major league piece back is paramount.

If somebody wants to overpay for Seth Halvorsen so the Rockies get two relievers like him, pull the lever.

Mickey Moniak provides professional at-bats and power. But the timing could be right to move him for a legitimate prospect given the way Charlie Condon and Zac Veen are pushing the envelope in Triple-A. Or keep Moniak and package Veen as part of a bigger deal.

Nobody wants to sell low on center fielder Brenton Doyle, but contenders covet defense. Colorado has to listen.

The Rockies’ leaders don’t have all the answers. I prefer those making decisions have fallibility and humility. It makes their efforts thorough and exhaustive, adjectives long a stranger on Blake Street.

The deadline and the July draft are the touchstones for overhauling a franchise. For too long in Colorado, they brought dread, inactivity and embarrassment, or all of the above.

It is on these front office executives to change the narrative.

Their knowledge, their experience, their willingness to take chances on deals and waiver claims, like Troy Johnston, will be needed to revive a franchise that has made ignoring baseball a local pastime.

The job started in the winter. But the real work begins now, where right moves can put the Rockies on the White Sox’s trajectory. Chicago went 41-121 and 60-102 over the past two seasons, and is on pace to finish 88-74 this year.

Rox to Sox? That works.

“You can get out of it. Detroit kind of flipped it. Miami is doing better. Baltimore tanked and turned it around,” Byrnes said. “And the White Sox are showing what can happen with savvy moves. We have made progress, but we are nowhere near where we want and need to be.”

Sullivan’s call-up on Friday comes with the news that right-hander Chase Dollander, whom the Rockies hope will develop into a No. 1 starter, was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

According to manager Warren Schaeffer, there is a good chance that Dollander will have to undergo Tommy John surgery, which would end his season and set back his progress.

“It¶¶Ňőap looking like surgery on the UCL,” Schaeffer told reporters in Las Vegas. “Nothing is set in stone, but that¶¶Ňőap the way it¶¶Ňőap trending.”

Officially, Dollander has a right elbow sprain and is scheduled to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister next Friday. Meister, based in Texas, is an orthopedic surgeon and a specialist in elbow reconstruction. Dollander, out since May 15, will now be on the IL until at least July 15.

Sullivan started on Friday night when the Rockies played the Athletics in Las Vegas.

The 23-year-old left-hander was the Rockies’ second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2023 when he impressed with a 2.45 ERA over 69 2/3 innings in his final season for the Demon Deacons.

Sullivan is ranked as the Last year, Sullivan thrived against hitters in Single-A and Double-A, posting a 2.94 with a 24.9 strikeout rate over 20 starts.

But his numbers skyrocketed this season, pitching for Triple-A Albuquerque in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has a 5.60 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A with a 20.2% K rate.

The lanky, 6-foot-4 Sullivan is not a flamethrower, but throws from a three-quarters arm slot that adds deception and makes hitters uncomfortable. Although he throws his four-seam fastball 41% of the time, the velocity is just 89 mph. Sullivan mixes in an upper-70s slider with a changeup and a cutter. His changeup is his best pitch, and he has excellent control. He walked just 6% of hitters last season at Single-A and Double-A, while walking 7.7% of hitters pitching for the Isotopes this season.

Sullivan will make his major league debut in the Triple-A stadium in Las Vegas, where he has some experience. The lefty last pitched there on May 19 and got hammered. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on 12 hits while striking out four and walking none.

Rockies starters have a collective ERA of 5.94, easily the worst in the majors. The club has not only lost Dollander to an elbow injury, but also veteran lefty Jose Quintana. Also, right-hander Tanner Gordon recently went on the 15-day injured list with a hip impingement.

Veteran right-handerĚýTomoyuki Sugano has been Colorado’s best starter, posting a 4.08 ERA. Veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen (7.54 ERA in 15 games, 11 starts) and longtime Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland (7.81 ERA in 11 starts) have been hit hard.

If that were really true, then it would make no sense to point out that after 55 games last season, the Rockies had a 9-46 record. Or to note that after 55 games this season, the Rockies are 20-35 — an 11-game improvement.

But, in the real world, you can’t separate the two seasons. We need a measuring stick to gauge the state of the Rockies. So, using Memorial Day as a traditional baseball milestone, here is an assessment of the club with one-third of the season in the books:

Won-loss record: Colorado entered Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles with the lowest winning percentage (.364) in the majors and the worst run-differential (minus-65). The woeful Angels (20-34, .370, minus-62) are competing with the Rockies as the worst team in baseball.

At their current pace, the Rockies would finish the season 59-103 and become the first team since the 1961-64 Washington Senators to suffer four consecutive 100-loss seasons.

Starting rotation: Paul DePodesta, the first-year president of baseball operations, spent $19.1 million to sign veteran pitchers Michael Lorenzen ($8 million), Jose Quintana ($6.0), and Tomoyuki Sugano ($5.1 million). The theory was that adding the trio would stabilize the rotation and give Colorado’s young pitchers time to develop. It’s a solid plan.

But after a relatively strong start, the plan is falling apart. Rockies starters had a 5.67 ERA entering Tuesday night’s game. That’s the worst in the majors, and although it’s not as bad as the historically bad 6.65 ERA the rotation posted last season, it’s heading in that direction.

The Rockies have a 6-17 record in May, and the starters’ failures are the chief culprit. They areĚý 2-13 with a 7.11 ERA, though right-hander Tanner Gordon gave Colorado five solid innings on Monday night to stop the bleeding.

Sugano’s excellent start on Friday night in Arizona (6 2/3 innings and two runs allowed) was an anomaly. It provided Colorado with its first quality start since Quintana (six innings, one run) on May 1 against the Braves. Sugano’s outing snapped a streak of 18 consecutive starts without a quality start by a Colorado pitcher, the third-longest drought in franchise history and the longest since a 21-game stretch June 5-28, 2012.

Injuries, coupled with a lack of quality depth, have played a major role. Quintana left Sunday’s start in Arizona in the second inning with elbow pain and is now on the 15-day injured list. Right-hander Chase Dollander (right elbow sprain) won’t even begin throwing for another two weeks. At least right-hander Ryan Feltner (right ulnar nerve inflammation) will return to the rotation this week. He’s been out since April 24.

While Sugano has been solid (4-3, 3.86 ERA), Lorenzen has been one of the worst pitchers in the majors with a 7.21 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, and a .353 batting average against.

And home-grown lefty Kyle Freeland has struggled since coming back from the IL (left shoulder tightness) on April 28. In five starts since his return, he’s posted a 10.32 ERA.

What’s especially concerning is that the Rockies’ pitching prospects seem a long way away from helping out.

Of the Rockies’ top 10 prospects (MLB Pipeline), only three of them are pitchers: right-handers JB Middleton and Brody Brecht, and lefty Griffin Herring. None of them is expected to debut until 2027, at the earliest. Lefty Sean Sullivan (No. 11) and Gabriel Hughes (No. 16) could be in the rotation sooner, but neither projects as an impact starter.

Colorado needs more talented young pitching in the system, perhaps via trades.

Power outage: Colorado entered Tuesday’s game with 46 home runs, tied for the fifth-fewest with Arizona, Detroit and San Francisco. In May, the Rockies have slugged only 15 homers, tied with the D-Backs for the third fewest. The Rockies have hit only 21 homers at Coors Field, the fourth-fewest at home among big-league teams. The Blake Street Bombers are not on deck.

Though Schaeffer loves homers, he says he’s not overly concerned by his team’s lack of power.

“You don’t need to win by hitting home runs,” Schaeffer told reporters on Saturday night in Arizona. “You win by doing a lot of different things. We won a game (Friday) night without hitting a homer. I’ll take that 162 times.”

Poor execution: The Rockies brass won’t say it publicly, but there is a huge talent gap between the Rockies and most of the teams they play. Add in the lack of power and bad starting pitching, and it’s easy to see why they are heading for another 100-loss season.

Schaeffer and the front office want a fast, athletic team that pushes the action. The Rockies have done that, at times, this season. But Schaeffer’s style of baseball requires sharp execution and precision. That’s been lacking in May. Too many walks by the pitchers and too many empty at-bats and poorly executed bunts have frustrated Schaeffer.

“Both of their leadoff walks scored, and we had eight free passes; that’s not good enough,” Schaeffer told reporters on Thursday night after a 2-1 walk-off loss to the Diamondbacks. “We can’t do that. And (there was a) lack of execution. They execute, we don’t execute tonight, and we lose. Story of the game.”

On Saturday afternoon, with two outs and two men on, the Rockies’ veteran right-hander threw a 2-2, 92.2 mph changeup to Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo in the ninth inning. It was a gutsy choice to end a 10-pitch battle, and when centerfielder Brenton Doyle drifted back and gathered in the ball for the game’s final out, Senzatela pumped his fist.

The erstwhile starter closed out the Rockies’ 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks at Coors Field. Senzatela, who struggled mightily as a starter in 2025, is 3 for 3 in save chances this season and has emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball.

Veteran right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, dealing with flu-like symptoms, pitched five solid innings (two runs on seven hits) to set the table for Colorado’s victory. It was his 150th win, combining his career in Japan and the major leagues.

For Senzatela, getting the ball late in games is something new, but something he’s starting to crave. He likes the rush that comes with it.

“If you play baseball, you like pressure,” the 31-year-old said. “There is nothing easy in this game.”

He brought up his April 24 game at Citi Field in Queens when he pitched 1 2/3 innings to close out a 4-3 win over the Mets as a prime example of the adrenaline buzz that comes with the game on the line.

“Being out there with the lights and stuff, getting crazy, it was like, ‘Wow! This is new to me,” he said. “My heart rate was like (racing), and I liked it. And it was really fun today when I was heading out from the bullpen, and my song was really loud, and everybody was cheering. It reminded me of a postseason game.”

In 13 appearances this season, Senzatela is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA, 25 strikeouts, just eight walks, and a minuscule 0.81 WHIP.

“‘Senza’ is calm, and he throws strikes, that’s what he does,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “What a battle there at the end with Perdomo. That’s good baseball.”

Before Saturday’s game, Scheaffer was asked if he was considering moving Senzatela back into the starting rotation now that right-handers Chase Dollander and Ryan Feltner are both on the injured list. Schaeffer said nothing doing.

“‘Senza’ is thriving where he is right now,” he said. “He’s one of the best relievers in the game, and that’s where he helps us win baseball games.”

Last season, opponents had a .352 batting average against Senzatela’s fastball, making it one of the most-hittable pitches in the majors. He posted a 6.65 ERA and served up a career-high 22 home runs. In 108 innings as a starter, Senzatela posted a 7.48 ERA and 1.91 WHIP before he was moved to the bullpen.

After extensive offseason work that included experimenting with different grips and a different pitch mix, Senza looks like a vastly different pitcher.

Colorado, which had lost seven of its last eight games at Coors Field heading into Saturday, desperately needed a strong performance from Sugano. Because, in May, starters were 0-9 with a 7.83 ERA.

“I was not (feeling) my best today, but once I determined (I was going to pitch), I wanted to go the distance,” Sugano said, using interpreter Yuto Sakurai.

Sugano has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his five home starts this season, posting a 4.50 ERA at Coors.

“‘Tomo’ gave us all he had to today,” Schaeffer said. “He was battling a sickness before the game and we didn’t even know if he could go. He gave us five strong to (get) the win. He gave it everything he had.”

Colorado scored all of the runs it needed to win the game in the first two innings against Arizona lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, who entered the game 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Willi Castro led off the first with a single, and Brenton Doyle followed with a double. TJ Rumfield and Mickey Moniak delivered run-scoring singles to put Colorado ahead, 2-0.

Kyle Karros led off the second with a double and scored on Jake McCarthy’s single.

Pitching probables

Sunday: Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (5-2, 3.53 ERA) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-5, 6.55), 1:10 p.m.
Monday: Rangers LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 4.50) at Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.97), 6:40 p.m.
Tuesday: Rangers RHP Kumar Rocker (1-4, 4.34) at Rockies TBA, 6:40 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

The journey culminated on Thursday at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park when he gave the Rockies four innings of one-run pitching, including five strikeouts in the Rockies’ 7-2 loss to the Pirates. Gordon was desperately needed because starter Chase Dollander left the game in the second inning with an elbow injury.

“Tanner was incredible,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “What a performance by him. We needed that. He saved our bullpen.”

The excursion is a blur to Gordon.

“It’s kind of hard to remember it all, to be honest with you,” Gordon said with a smile. “It’s hard to keep track of the days, nights, mornings, and all of the flights. I’m not sure which day was which. But it all worked out.”

Here are the “highlights” of Gordon’s cross-country journey:

• The 28-year-old right-hander pitched three innings of long relief in Philadelphia on May 9.

• Last Tuesday, he was in Pittsburgh with the Rockies when the club sent him down to Triple-A Albuquerque when reliever Jimmy Herget came off the injured list. The two flights — Pittsburgh to Albuquerque, through Salt Lake City — equaled 2,449 miles. He touched down in Albuquerque at about 10:30 p.m.

• On Wednesday afternoon, he arrived at Isotopes Park at about 4 p.m., feeling a little down because he’d been demoted, but understanding he had a job to do.

“So I got to the field, threw a little bit, started my lifting, and then they told me I was going back up,” Gordon said. “So I packed up all the stuff that I just unpacked, went to the house I’m staying at there, and packed again. It was pretty crazy.”

It turns out that Herget had suffered a right shoulder impingement during Colorado’s game on Tuesday night vs. the Pirates. So Gordon was needed again.

• At 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, Gordon boarded his flight from Albuquerque to Los Angeles (809 miles, with a two-hour layover). Then he took a red-eye flight from L.A. to Atlanta (2,197 miles, with another two-hour-plus layover).

“I got to Atlanta at about 5 in the morning,” Gordon said. “Then I had to wait in the airport again. It was kind of crazy. We took off from Atlanta about 7:45 a.m.”

• Gordon flew from Atlanta to Pittsburgh (679 miles), landing about 9:30 a.m. When he finally arrived at PNC Park, Schaeffer sought him out.

“When I saw him in the morning, his eyes were bloodshot,” Schaeffer said. “I asked him, ‘Are you ready to go?’ He said, ‘Yeah, a little coffee goes a long way.’ ”

Gordon said he doesn’t remember much about his four innings against the Pirates.

“It was kind of instinct and muscle memory,” he said. “I just went out and pitched. I didn’t think about it too much.”

Dollander was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a right elbow sprain and is expected to miss a month or more. Gordon is the likely choice to replace Dollander in the rotation.

Who knows, maybe Gordon’s jet-lagged performance in Pittsburgh will be a launching pad.

“You know, the baseball gods don’t really care if you are tired or not,” he said. “I had to go do my job.”

OK, but surely Gordon’s expedition included a rollercoaster of emotions. It can’t be easy to deal with getting sent back to the minors, right?

“Sure, it’s frustrating in the moment, but then things settle back down, and it goes back to being about baseball,” he said. “You have a job to do. You can only throw a pity party for so long.

“And I don’t want to make it seem like it was something heroic. It’s part of the game. So I don’t want to make too much of it, but it’s going to be a fun story to tell.”

Or else why would the NFL bank on its most bankable quarterback, who tore his ACL last December, being ready for one of its most bankable windows (“Monday Night Football”) on one of its most bankable weeks (Week 1) and in one of its most bankable matchups (Broncos-Chiefs)?

Let’s get this out of the way first: The Grading The Week staff thinks the NFL is a giant, soulless, monolithic, cash-grabbing kaiju. But dang it, NFL officials sure know how to market and brand the living heck out of the most inane stuff. And at the most inane times of the year.

Fans can watch rookies run drills and pump iron at the scouting combine at Indy in February. The draft now looks (and sounds) like a football version of Lollapalooza. And the schedule release has somehow turned into one of the showcase events of the spring, elbowing its way onto the stage in the middle of the NBA and NHL’s postseasons with a mix of everything to

Speaking of fun, how about Rehab Bowl I? Between the Broncos and Chiefs, the best sports science staff wins. It’ll be like the pit crew competition during Indianapolis 500 weekend — only the wheels in this case are Bo Nix’s surgically-repaired right ankle and Mahomes’ new left knee.

Broncos getting Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 — B

Yes, the Broncos’ 2026 schedule is about 17 levels of pure brutality, especially before Halloween. So is it better for the Broncos to get the Chiefs out of the way early? And get Mahomes on the road out of the way early?

Well, historically, that glass is either half full or half empty, depending on which precedent you want to cherry-pick.

Good: Denver is 5-2 against the Chiefs in September since 2000. Less good: The Broncos went 1-1 when those matchups were played in KC.

Good: Mahomes has dropped two of his last three Week 1 contests. Less good: He’s 6-2 lifetime in openers as the Chiefs’ QB1, and 3-1 at home.

Good: Deshaun Watson and Robert Griffin III lost their debuts in the season immediately after they’d undergone major knee surgery. Less good: Tom Brady, Kyler Murray and Joe Burrow all won their “comeback” appearances.

Burrow’s 2020 season ended with damage to his ACL, MCL and PCL. In his first start of 2021, Cincy Joe completed 20 of 27 throws for two scores in an overtime win over Minnesota.

Murray blew out his knee in Week 14 of the ’22 season. During his ’23 debut, Murray beat Atlanta at home.

Brady tore his ACL early in 2008. In his 2009 lid-lifter, he rallied the Pats to a 25-24 win over Buffalo on “Monday Night football,” throwing for two scores over the game’s final 2:10.

OK, so that last one wouldn’t be a particularly good omen.

Although this nugget is: Before 2026, the last time the Broncos had to travel to Kansas City for a road opener was … 2015. Just sayin’.

Antonio Senzatela’s rebound Ěý— A-minus

The Rockies wrapped up their Keystone State road trip with a 2-4 record. Chase Dollander hurt his arm just as he was turning a corner. Michael Lorenzen and Coors Field look like a match made in Hades.

But, in the spirit of the Avs channeling all those 2022 vibes again, the baseball guys on the GTW crew are trying to keep it light and sunny when it comes to the news at 20th & Bleak.

After all, when wins are scarce, you celebrate the small ones, right? Mickey Moniak’s making a whale of an All-Star case, although catcher Hunter Goodman may pip him for that token Colorado spot. Starter Tomoyuki Sugano is keeping his walks down and some hopes high. And yet one of the most pleasant surprises of early May is how a guy the GTW kids had given up on — Antonio Senzatela — suddenly looks like the Rox’s most interesting potential deadline asset.

Colorado’s once-struggling righty is turning heads as a lockdown bullpen option. Heading into this weekend’s homestand, the 31-year-old had posted a 2,38 ERA over 11 1/3 innings at home this season, which is strong. He’d put up a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings on the road, which is even stronger. And, more to the point of a rebuild, tradeable.

The Rockies’ 24-year-old right-hander went on the 15-day disabled list Friday with an elbow sprain. But he said he dodged a torn ulnar collateral ligament that likely would have required season-ending Tommy John surgery.

“It’s a very minor UCL sprain,” Dollander said before the Rockies hosted Arizona at Coors Field. “The MRI showed just some minor inflammation around the ligament; nothing to be too concerned about. I’m just thanking God that it was nothing more than that. Honestly, it’s probably the best-case scenario. I’m trying to look on the positive side of things.”

Dollander, who’s being counted on as the ace of Colorado’s future, was pulled from Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh in the second inning with right arm tightness. After the Rockies’ 7-2 loss to the Pirates, he was asked about the severity of his injury.

“I don’t know, I’m not sure,” he said. “I don’t want to say too much before anything else happens. Not to freak myself out or anybody else out.”

He admitted Friday that he was worried about some strange sensations in his arm and fingers when he pitched, something he had never experienced before.

“Obviously, if anything happens to that area, your mind automatically goes to the worst-case scenario,” he said. “That’s kind of what happened. But then I just kind of decided to sit with it and talk with some people I trust. So I knew going into the MRI this morning that it probably wasn’t what I thought it was. So, thank God that it wasn’t, or else we would be having a very different conversation.”

Manager Warren Schaeffer didn’t put a timetable on how long Dollander will be out of action, but the right-hander could miss a month or more. The Rockies are going to be cautious about bringing Dollander back too quickly.

“The elbow area is always scary,” Schaeffer said. “But with the MRI, I think everybody is happy — at this moment. We can’t have a timetable (right now).”

On Thursday, the Pirates knocked around Dollander for three runs in the first inning, the big blow a two-run homer to center field by Ryan O’Hearn. Dollander pitched to just two batters in the second, giving up a leadoff double to Endy Rodríguez, followed by a walk to Jared Triolo on five pitches. Dollander was shaking his right arm and hand during the inning.

After the walk to Triolo, head trainer Keith Dugger and Schaeffer met Dollander on the mound. After about a 2-minute conversation, Dollander threw one practice pitch before leaving the game.

Dollander said he first experienced some discomfort during his start at Philadelphia on May 8, but it went away the more he threw. When the discomfort showed up again on Thursday, accompanied by a slight dip in his fastball velocity, he realized it was time to shut down.

“I’m just glad that the trainer saw it and came out and got me,” Dollander said. “Because, me being me, I would have tried to stay out there and possibly blown myself out. I’m glad he took me out. (Dugger) said he saw me just kind of shake my arm a little bit. Honestly, I didn’t realize I did that.”

that Dollander’s four-seam fastball, which normally averages 98.9 mph, averaged 97.6, and his sinker, which normally averages 98.3, was down to 97.1.

“I noticed it in the bullpen a little bit, but I thought, ‘It’s a bullpen,’ ” he said. “But then I got in the game, and I realized that the (velocity) wasn’t there.”

After a difficult rookie season in which he went 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA over 21 starts, Dollander is 3-3 with a 3.89 ERA in nine appearances (three starts). He is beginning to perform like the top-of-the-rotation Colorado envisioned when it selected him in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2023 draft out of the University of Tennessee.

“My last couple of outings didn’t go like I wanted them to go, but I’m constantly learning and constantly on the attack,” Dollander said. “I’m making sure I’m working toward where I need to be.”

Sterlin debut. Outfielder Sterlin Thompson was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque ahead of Friday night’s game and was ready to make his major league debut. Thompson, 24, was not in the starting lineup, but Schaeffer said he would use Thompson as a pinch-hitter if need be.

Thompson will likely be in the starting lineup for Saturday afternoon’s game.

Thompson was born in Longmont, and even though his family moved out of state when he was about six months old, he still qualifies as a Colorado native. When he makes an appearance, he will become the first Colorado native positional player to make their big-league debut for the
Rockies. Overall, he would be the fourth Colorado native to make their debut with the Rockies alongside pitchers Lucas Gilbreath (2021), Kyle Freeland (2017) and John Burke (1996).

Colorado needed another outfielder because Tyler Freeman was placed on the paternity list as he and his wife, Jacy, are expecting their first child.

Thompson, and many of his Isotopes teammates, have been raking at Triple-A. In 36 games for the Isotopes, Thompson slashed .344/.491/.496 with five doubles, one triple, four home runs, 27 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.

Thompson had a feeling that he might be getting called up sooner rather than later, then added, “I want to stay up here for a long time and play multiple years in the big leagues,” he said. “This is something that I have always dreamed of, and I want to make the most of it.”

After the Rockies’ 7-2 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park, Dollander was asked how concerned he is about the injury.

“I don’t know, I’m not sure,” “I don’t want to say too much before anything else happens. Not to freak myself out or anybody else out.”

As of Thursday afternoon, Dollander was not scheduled for an MRI.

Dollander entered Thursday’s game with an average fastball of 98.7 mph, ranking as the second-fastest among qualified pitchers. However, his fastball was down a couple of ticks in the second inning. Asked if Dollander’s arm tightness had anything to do with the slight dip in velocity, manager Warren Schaffer answered, “Maybe.”

“Just general arm tightness is what we’re going to roll with right now,” he told reporters after the game. “We’ll do some evaluations and check back tomorrow.”

Dollander, tagged for three runs in the first inning — including giving up a two-run homer to center field to Ryan O’Hearn — pitched to just two batters in the second. He gave up a leadoff double to Endy RodrĂ­guez, followed by a walk to Jared Triolo on five pitches. Dollander was shaking his right arm and hand during the inning.

After the walk to Triolo, head trainer Keith Dugger and Schaeffer met Dollander on the mound. After about a 2-minute conversation, Dollander threw a practice pitch before leaving the game.

In nine appearances (three starts), the 24-year-old Dollander has a 3.89 ERA. After a rough rookie season in 2025, he’s made strides this season. He is beginning to look like the projected No. 1 starter Colorado envisioned when the Rockies selected him in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2023 draft out of the University of Tennessee.

Colorado, which finished its road trip with a 2-4 record, was never in Thursday’s game. The Pirates scored three runs in the third off lefty reliever Brennan Bernardino and right-hander Victor Vodnik.

The Rockies’ only runs came in the fourth on a double byĚýTroy Johnston that scored TJ Rumfield and Willi Castro. Johnston is hitting .326 with an .852 OPS.

Colorado, three games into a 16-game stretch with no days off, returns home on Friday to open a three-game series against the Diamondbacks at Coors Field.

Pitching probables

Friday: Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (2-3, 7.72 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-4, 6.00), 6:40 p.m.
Saturday: Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-0, 2.25) at Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (3-3, 4.07), 1:10 p.m.
Sunday: Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (5-2, 3.53) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-5, 6.55), 1:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

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