The Rockies’ late-game reliever took note of a leadoff walk that haunted him, expressed frustration about the groundballs that found holes, and took responsibility for a poorly executed pitch that turned a significant Rockies’ victory into a stinging 10-8 defeat.

Leading the Padres 8-5 entering the ninth at Coors Field on Thursday afternoon, the Rockies were on the cusp of clinching the three-game series. But Vodnik walked Jackson Merrill, and then saw Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Miguel Andujar rap out groundball singles.

Then Vodnik threw a first-pitch cutter to Gavin Sheets. Bang: a three-run 379-foot homer down the right-field line. Ecstasy to agony.

“On the Gavin Sheets homer, it was a pitch I didn’t execute,” said Vodnik, who was charged with his second loss and his second blown save as his ERA spiked to 7.59. “It was a backup cutter. The Padres did a good job of executing, and I got a bit unlucky on those groundballs, and I didn’t execute when I had to.”

It was the second time this season that Sheets crushed Colorado. On April 10 at Petco Park, Sheets hit a three-run, walk-off home run off Roberto Mejia to beat the Rockies, 5-2.

Wasted in Colorado’s defeat on Thursday was left fielder Mickey Moniak’s 4-for-5 performance that included two solo home runs. Adding oomph to the gut-punch loss was the injury suffered by starter Ryan Feltner.

Feltner pitched just two innings before being removed from the game because of right triceps tightness. Starting second baseman Willi Castro departed after three innings because of pain in the patella tendon in his right knee.

“We have been working on (the triceps) in the training room for the last few days, and it just got a little tight in the second inning, so we took precautions,” Feltner explained.

His anger was evident on the mound at the end of the second when he snapped his glove when he struck out Jake Cronenworth to end the inning.

“That wasn’t the exact moment (of the injury), but that was frustration there,” he said.

Feltner said that the concern of a major injury is “pretty low,” but added, “There is no prognosis right now.”

Castro said the decision to pull him from the game was precautionary and said he didn’t expect to miss much playing time.

Moniak, meanwhile, continues flashing star power. Ten years after he was the first player selected in the major league draft, he’s playing as if he belongs in the Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia in July.

After batting .270 and hitting 24 homers for the Rockies last season, he’s hitting .324 with a 1.097 OPS this season. He believes the Rockies are making strides, but couldn’t hide his disappointment in letting a win slip away.

“At the end of the day, the name of the game is to win.  We weren’t able to get that done, but that’s baseball,” said the 27-year-old Moniak, who was selected in the first round by the Phillies in 2016 out of La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, Calif.

“Vic has been huge for us this year, but he just had a tough day,” Moniak continued. “That’s how it goes sometimes. I have all the confidence in the world in that guy. As much as this one hurts, we have to move forward.”

The Rockies begin a six-game, seven-day road trip in New York on Friday when they play the Mets at Citi Field. Moniak expects the Rockies to rebound from Thursday’s loss.

“I think so,” he said. “It’s been a year so far, with a lot of highs and some lows. Now it’s just going to be about finding that consistent high and figuring out ways to win baseball games. As bad as this one sucked, we had a .500 homestand against two good teams (Dodgers and Padres), and we easily could have been above .500 on the homestand.”

Pitching probables

Friday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 7.48) at Mets RHP Freddy Peralta (1-2, 4.05), 5:10 p.m.

Saturday: Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (0-2, 6.23) at Mets RHP Kodai Senga (0-3, 8.83), 2:10 p.m.

Sunday: Rockies TBD at Mets RHP Nolan McLean (1-1, 2.67)

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: 850 AM & 94.1 FM

In a heart-in-your-throat, 4-3 victory over the Dodgers, Colorado relievers Brennan Bernardino, Jaden Hill, and Victor Vodnik combined to pitch 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Vodnik pitched the ninth for his third save, but it didn’t come easily. Will Smith delivered a pinch-hit single for the Dodgers, and Shohei Ohtani singled to right, extending his on-base streak to 50 games. But Vodnik induced Kyle Tucker to pop out to left field, clinching the victory.

“Just attack and get ahead,” Vodnik said about facing Ohtani with the game on the line.

Before the four-game series with the Dodgers, Vodnik expressed his admiration for Ohtani, but also expressed belief in himself.

“That����ap going to be awesome to tell (my three daughters)I faced Shohei Ohtani,” he told The Post. “But for me, hopefully, he says, ‘I got to face Victor Vodnik.’ ”

The hard-throwing right-hander — who was unaware that Ohtani “Wee” Willie Keeler for the third-longest on-base streak in Dodgers franchise history (since 1900) — said he was not flustered when Ohtani hit his two-out single in the ninth.

“You just let it go, right away, and then you go after the next guy,” said Vodnik, who has not allowed an earned run over seven appearances (eight innings) in April, while going three-for-three on save opportunities.

Saturday marked the fourth time in the last five games that Colorado’s bullpen has not allowed a run, and its 0.68 ERA over that span has lowered the ‘pen’s overall ERA to 2.97.

“We’re nasty, man, the bullpen is nasty,” Vodnik said. “Everybody trusts everybody … and they pick each other up. And everybody throws friggin’ hard. And everybody gives different looks, so it makes it hard (on opponents), for sure.”

There was plenty of drama for an announced sellout crowd of 47,925, many of whom donned Dodger blue. Los Angeles loaded the bases in the eighth when Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference (Hunter Goodman was charged with an error), Tucker singled, and Teoscar Hernandez reached on a two-out walk by Hill. But Hill got the dangerous Max Muncy to tap a groundout to second base.

Crisis averted, high-fives in the dugout for Hill.

The Rockies took a 4-3 lead with a two-run sixth inning, finally coming through with the clutch hits that have eluded them so often. Goodman led off with a double, Ezequiel Tovar singled off the leg of reliever Will Klein, and Johnston drove them both in with a double to right-center.

Right-hander Ryan Feltner shook off a shaky beginning to give the Rockies what they needed: toughness and some needed length from a starter. Feltner pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, including two solo homers. Feltner struck out five and walked only one.

“Earlier in my career, here, I would have pressed and tried to do something different,” Feltner said. “But just knowing that stuff happens here, you have to know that just keeping our offense in it is really important. That was my main goal.”

For the historic record: Ohtani, the Dodgers superstar, went 0 for 3 vs. Feltner and is now 1 for 10 in his career vs. the right-hander.

Third baseman Kyle Karros rescued Feltner with a sensational play in the sixth. After Freddie Freeman scorched a two-out triple to left-center, Karros robbed Hernandez of extra bases with a diving stop and a perfect throw to first for the out. Hill then entered the game and fanned Muncy for the third out.

“Karros made a huge play — a game-saver,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.

Added Karros: “I was just reacting to the ball. It took me down the line, and I checked whether Freddie was running. He wasn’t, so I threw across the diamond.”

The Rockies got off to an inauspicious start. On the first pitch of the game, Ohtani hit a high chopper to Johnston behind first base. Johnston threw wildly to Feltner, running to cover the bag. Feltner appeared to tweak his back on the play but stayed in the game. He said after the game that his back was fine.

On the next pitch, Tucker ambushed Feltner’s 94.6 mph fastball, sending it over the right-center field wall for a 435-foot, two-run homer.

But Colorado shook off the punch. In the bottom of the frame, a double by Mickey Moniak, followed by an RBI single by rookie TJ Rumfield cut Los Angeles’ lead to 2-1.

L.A. extended its lead to 3-1 in the second on a Dalton Rushing homer off Feltner that barely crept into the right-field seats. The Rockies responded in their at-bat, combining a leadoff single and stolen base by Johnston with a sacrifice fly by Karros to slice the lead to 3-2.

Pitching probables

Sunday: Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (0-2, 6.63 ERA) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 8.10), 1:10 p.m.

Monday: Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) at Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63), 6:40 p.m.

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: 850 AM & 94.1 FM

But for the here and now, give Vodnik props for chutzpah.

“That����ap going to be awesome to tell them I faced Shohei Ohtani,” the Rockies’ late-game reliever said. “But for me, hopefully, he says, ‘I got to face Victor Vodnik.'”

Ohtani and are scheduled to open a four-game series against the Rockies at Coors Field on Friday night, weather permitting. If Yankee Stadium was the house that Babe Ruth built, Coors is the house that Ohtani wrecked. In 20 career games there, he’s slashed .387/.452/.773 with seven home runs, including a 476-foot rocket off Austin Gomber on June 18, 2024.

Friday night, fellow Japanese player Tomoyuki Sugano is scheduled to start against the Dodgers. Sugano has faced Ohtani in only one game in the majors, as a starter for Baltimore last season. That was on Sept. 7 when Ohtani connected for his 47th and 48th home runs in his first two at-bats in the Dodgers’  5-2 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

“I don’t have a set game plan going in to face Shohei Ohtani yet,” Sugano told The Post during spring training. “Last year, he hit two home runs off me, so as a Japanese player, I would like to attack him and try to be productive.”

Ohtani won’t pitch during the series in LoDo because he started on Wednesday night in New York against the Mets in Los Angeles’ 8-2 victory. Ohtani dominated, allowing just one run while striking out 10 batters over six innings. The right-hander (who bats left-handed) generated 22 swings and misses. In three starts, his ERA is a sterling 0.50.

Ohtani did not hit on Wednesday because he was still sore from being struck on the back of his right shoulder by a pitch from the Mets’ David Peterson on Monday. However, Ohtani is expected to be the designated hitter vs. the Rockies.

Ohtani, 31, has won four MVP awards in the past five years, all of them unanimously. The two-way player wants another jewel in his glittering crown.

“He wants a Cy Young,” Dodgers backup catcher during spring training. “And you can tell with the way he’s carrying himself here recently.”

So maybe it’s a good thing, for Ohtani, that he’s not starting this time around at Coors Field. Last August, the Rockies hammered him for five runs in four innings. Ohtani gave up career-high-tying nine hits as the Rockies rolled to an 8-3 victory.

That was Ohtani’s first regular-season start at Coors Field, even though he started for the American League in the 2021 All-Star Game, retiring all three batters he faced while going 0 for 2 at the plate in the AL’s 5-2 victory over the National League. Ohtani was pitching for the Angels at the time.

‘You have to be constantly bobbing and weaving’

When Ohtani steps up to the plate at Coors, Colorado’s pitchers know they’d better bring their best stuff. Veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland has seen how the slugger can demolish a pitcher with good intentions but bad execution. Ohtani is 7 for 11 (.636) with two home runs vs. Freeland.

“Every single night, on everybody’s lineup, he’s always circled on the card,” said Freeland, who’s on the injured list with a sore shoulder. “He’s the guy you say, ‘Do not let him be the guy to beat you, just because of what he’s capable of on the offensive side of the ball.’ ”

However, Freeland said a pitcher can’t be afraid to go after Ohtani.

“You don’t want to shy away from him; you definitely still want to attack him,” Freeland continued. “He’s still human, he’s still a baseball player like us, playing at the game’s highest level.”

Right-hander Ryan Feltner, who’s scheduled to start Saturday night’s game, has had success vs. the Dodgers’ star, limiting him to one double in seven at-bats.

“I struck him out on three pitches in L.A. to start the game, so that was cool,” Feltner recalled, looking back to the Dodgers’ 6-2 win over the Rockies on April 15 last season.

But Feltner wasn’t gloating.

“I would like to say he’s just another guy with a bat, but that����ap not true,” Feltner said. “He’s got an incredible ability to cover a lot of different areas of the plate with incredible power. There are really only a few other players who can do that. (Houston’s) Yordan Alverez is another one.

“There are certain guys who can take swings in a part of the zone where they shouldn’t be able to do damage, but they do. You have to be constantly bobbing and weaving with Ohtani.”

Freeland, who knows baseball history, appreciates the challenge of facing the Japanese legend.

“Going up against the very best, the 1% or the 1%, is always fun,” he said. “When you come out on top, it����ap even better. Being able to face a guy like that, and being able to look back years from now and say, ‘I battled against arguably the greatest baseball player we will ever see in our lifetime,’ is pretty cool.”

Vodnik calls Ohtani a “great player,” adding, “The things he’s doing are unbelievable.”

However, the confident Vodnik is not shy about sharing his game plan on dispatching Ohtani.

“First, I have to trust my stuff,” said Vodnik, who has limited experience facing Ohtani  — 2 for 4 with one strikeout and one walk in five plate appearances.

“I know I can beat him up-and-in by throwing changeups,” Vodnik continued. “Or backfoot sliders that are well executed. I don’t see him as any different than anybody else.”

Vodnik’s game plan is to use Ohtani’s strength against him.

“He keeps his barrel in the zone for a very, very long time, and I think that����ap why it����ap good to go in on him,” he said.  “If (the batter’s) going to be doing that, they have got to be ready to turn on that inside pitch. And that’s really hard to do against a guy throwing 100 (mph).

“So I think that once you get him sped up, then you can slow it down and throw the changeup. Or vice versa. You can throw the changeup and speed it up later on. That����ap when it becomes a chess game, right? Also, I know that the last outing I faced him, I punched him out with a changeup. So maybe it’s in the back of his mind, maybe it����ap not. We’ll see.”

Does Vodnik’s red warning light go on when Ohtani steps up to the plate?

“No, for me it’s more so about my always having the same mentality,’ Vodnik said. “I’m attacking you no matter who you are. That����ap just how I am. I have always been that way.

“Obviously, I study my reports, and I know their weaknesses and my strengths. For me, vs. Ohtani, it’s a good matchup. I like it.”

Owen Caissie hit a changeup from Victor Vodnik, sending it 394 feet and over the right-center field wall for a two-run dagger to the Rockies’ heart.

Actually, would’ve, could’ve, should’ve was the theme of the Rockies’ failures throughout the season’s opening series at Miami’s loanDepot Park. Colorado lost every game by one run (2-1, 4-3, 4-3) en route to being swept in the opening series of the season for just the second time in franchise history. The last time? That would be 1994, when the Phillies came into Denver and won the first three games of the season at the old Mile High Stadium.

But manager Warren Schaeffer, as is his wont, refused to go down a gloomy path, choosing a positive spin instead.

Rockies predictions: 103 losses, joining Washington Senators in MLB infamy | Journal

"Listen, I think the boys are playing good," Schaeffer told reporters in Miami. "We were right in these ballgames. We could have won all three of these ballgames. We have, what, 159 left to go? If we keep playing like that, we are going to win a lot of ballgames this year."

However, until the Rockies start winning these types of games, the specter of last season's 119-loss debacle will remain.

Here are the details of Sunday's loss.

• The Rockies took a 3-0 lead in the first on Jordan Beck's three-run double off right-hander Max Meyer. The Marlins blanked the Rockies after that.

• Colorado's Miami vice? It hit 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position on Sunday and 3 for 20 (.150) for the series. The Rockies also struck out 11 times on Sunday.

• The Rockies entered the ninth leading 3-2. When Miami's Liam Hicks lined out to first baseman Troy Johnson for a double play, Colorado's victory looked secure, and Vodnik was eyeing his first save.

Not so fast. Javier Sanoja lined a double over the head of left fielder Jake McCarthy, who missed making the grab by inches. Up stepped Caissie, who clobbered Vodnik's 0-1 pitch for the walk-off.

"'Vic' throws a swing-and-miss changeup, so you live and die by that," Schaeffer said. "The guy just hit one out of the park."

The biggest takeaway from the opening series is that the rebuilt Rockies need to hit better in the clutch. Going 3 for 20 with runners in scoring position is not going to cut it, especially on the road, where Schaeffer pledges that the Rockies are going to be a running team. Last season, the Rockies hit .211 with RISP on the road en route to an 18-63 record.

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On the plus side, the Rockies stole five bases and were caught only once during the three-game set.

And, despite the sweep and despite Vodnik serving up the game-winner in the ninth on Sunday, the Rockies' pitching was, overall, solid. The starters posted a 4.85 ERA, just so-so in pitcher-friendly loanDepot Park. The bullpen, however, was excellent, posting a 2.31 ERA and a .233 average against over 11 2/3 innings.

On Sunday, deposed starter Antonio Senzatela looked reborn as a long reliever. With his fastball humming at 98 mph and his new sweeper confounding hitters, he pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three.

"That was fantastic," Schaeffer said. "To have him show up in his first outing this year and give us almost three innings of pitching like that? That was exceptional. I'm extremely happy for him. But we are definitely going to need our starting pitching to go (deeper) in the game."

The road only gets steeper and deeper for the Rockies, who open a three-game series in Toronto on Monday night against the Blue Jays, who came tantalizingly close to beating the Dodgers in last year's World Series.

Pitching probables

• Monday: Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (10-10, 4.64 with Orioles in 2025) at Blue Jays RHP Cody Ponce (0-6, 7.04 ERA with Pirates in 2021), 5:07 p.m.
• Tuesday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (0-2, 4.75 in 2025) at RHP Max Scherzer (5-5, 5.19 in 2025), 5:07 p.m.
• Wednesday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-1, 4.15) at Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman Kevin Gausman (0-0, 1.50), 11 a.m.
• Thursday: Off day

TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM, 94.1 FM

The Rockies added three veteran starters — Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Jose Quintana — to stabilize a rotation that posted an all-time worst 6.65 ERA last season. A new front office, led by the president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, also added outfielder Jake McCarthy, second baseman Willi Castro, and first baseman TJ Rumfield, all of whom will likely start on Opening Day.

Here is the Rockies’ 26-man roster for Friday’s game vs. the Marlins in Miami:

Starting Rotation

LHP Kyle Freeland

Freeland, the longest-tenured Rockie on the roster and a clubhouse leader, faces a critical season. The Denver native is entering what could be the final year of his contract, so he needs a solid season, not only for the team’s rebuild but for his own future. The lefty was 5-17 with a 4.98 ERA last season.

Key 2025 number: 14. Number of quality starts, most on the team. Freeland was 5-4 with a 2.65 ERA in those starts.

Worth noting: Freeland must pitch 170 innings this season to trigger his $17 million vesting option with Colorado.

RHP Tomoyuki Sugano

The Rockies signed the 36-year-old veteran to bring a veteran presence to the rotation. During his legendary career in Japan, he was known for his durability. He made 30 starts for Baltimore last season, his first in the majors, while posting a 4.64 ERA.

Key 2025 number: 33. Home runs he gave up last season with the Orioles, the most in the American League. How is that going to play at Coors Field?

Worth noting: Sugano pitched 12 seasons for the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball, where he won two Sawamura Awards (Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award) in 2017 and 2018, and three MVP Awards in 2014, 2020 and 2024.

LHP Jose Quintana

He’s 37, but he’s crafty and considered a clubhouse leader. That’s why the Rockies signed him to a one-year $6 million contract in hopes he can improve a shaky rotation.

Key 2025 number: 3.96. His ERA across 24 starts for Milwaukee, which helped the Brewers post the best regular-season record in the majors.

Worth noting: Since 2022, the lefty has a 3.53 ERA that ranks in the top 40 among any pitcher with at least 300 innings over the last four seasons.

RHP Michael Lorenzen

The 34-year-old journeyman was Colorado’s biggest offseason expenditure, signing a free-agent deal that pays him $8 million this season and includes a club option worth $9 million in 2027. He’s the poster boy for Colorado’s plan to have its pitchers expand their repertoires. According to Lorenzen, he throws eight different pitches: three different fastballs, two kinds of changeups, a slider, a sweeper, and a curve.

Key 2025 number: 8.1. Strikeouts per nine innings last season with Kansas City, a career high.

Worth noting: He threw a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Nationals on August 9, 2023, walking four and striking out five.

RHP Ryan Feltner

The Rockies have long believed that Feltner has the stuff to dominate hitters. New pitching coach Alon Leichman says the right-hander has All-Star potential. But Feltner must stay healthy and needs to command his pitches better than he did in spring training.

Key 2025 number: 30.1. Big-league innings pitched last season, when injuries limited Feltner to just six starts.

Worth noting: In 2024, Feltner posted a 2.98 ERA over his last 15 starts, the first Rockies starter with a sub-3.00 ERA in a 15-start span since German Marquez during his All-Star campaign in 2021.

Bullpen

RHP Victor Vodnik

The right-hander throws hard (98.7 mph fastball) and attacks hitters. The Rockies love that about him, even if they aren’t going to start the season with a designated closer. Vodnik had some ups and downs last season, but he posted a 1.07 ERA with eight saves in nine opportunities over his final 17 appearances.

Key 2025 number: 10. Saves last season in 15 opportunities.

Worth noting: Posted a 1.33 ERA in 26 games at Coors Field last season, the lowest home ERA in franchise history (minimum 25 innings pitched).

RHP Zach Agnos

The Rockies expect big things from the right-hander in his second season. He had a terrific spring training, posting a 0.82 WHIP as he pounded the strike zone.

Key 2025 number: 12.33. ERA over his final 16 appearances as he battled an elbow injury.

Worth noting: Was 4 for 4 in save opportunities last season, becoming the first player in franchise history to record a save in his first four career save opportunities.

RHP Jimmy Herget

The veteran with the unique delivery was Colorado’s best pitcher last season. His 2.48 ERA was the 10th-lowest by a reliever in franchise history, the lowest since Daniel Bard’s 1.79 ERA in 2022. Herget could play several roles this season, including opener or piggyback reliever if the Rockies use that strategy.

Key 2025 number: 1.67. Road ERA in 31 appearances was the fourth-lowest among all relievers (minimum 30 innings pitched).

Worth noting: Rob Friedman, an analyst who runs The Pitching Ninja website, nicknamed Herget “The Human Glitch.”

LHP Brennan Bernardino

Desperate for a left-hander in the bullpen, the Rockies acquired Bernardino from the Red Sox in exchange for outfield prospect Braiden Ward. Bernardino, 34, put up a solid 3.14 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 55 outings last year. Opponents hit just .205 against him.

Key 2025 number: 4.5. Walks per nine innings last season, a high number that would haunt him at Coors Field.

Worth noting: During his early years in the minors, Bernardino worked as a Lyft driver, warehouse stocker, and construction laborer to supplement his income.

RHP Jaden Hill

He made the team when hard-throwing right-hander Seth Halvorsen was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs late in spring training. Hill made his debut last season and fared well, posting a 3.38 ERA in 28 games.

Key 2025 number: 5.28. His ERA at Coors Field in 15 appearances vs. a 1.19 ERA in 13 appearances on the road.

Worth noting: Hill worked overtime on his slider during spring training, a pitch he needs to be more effective vs. left-handed hitters.

RHP Chase Dollander

The right-hander’s erratic spring training landed him in the bullpen to begin the season. Still, he has the biggest upside of any Rockies pitcher since Ubaldo Jimenez, despite major growing pains last season as a rookie when he was 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA.

Key 2025 number: 9.98. His ERA in 11 starts at Coors Field, including 12 home runs served up in 51 innings.

Worth noting: The right-hander’s four-seam fastball averaged 97.8 mph last season, ranking in the top 6% in the majors.

RHP Juan Mejia

Started last season with Triple-A Albuquerque and was promoted to the Rockies on April 24. He impressed Colorado’s staff, especially manager Warren Schaeffer, with his sharp fastball-slider combination.

Key 2025 number: 3.96. His ERA over 55 big-league appearances. Not bad for a rookie reliever.

Worth noting: Pitched 33 consecutive outings without allowing a home run (June 11-Aug. 31), the longest streak for a Rockies reliever since Justin Lawrence’s 37-game stretch in 2023.

RHP Antonio Senzatela

The veteran right-hander started last season as a starter but finished in the bullpen after hitters continually feasted on his fastball. The Rockies worked to expand his repertoire this spring.

Key 2025 number: .347. Opponents’ average against Senzatela, which was the highest in the majors last season.

Worth noting: Senzatela will make $12 million this season, and there is a $14 million club option for 2027.

Catcher

Hunter Goodman

Colorado’s lone All-Star last season wants to keep raking, but he also wants to improve his skills behind the plate. His 31 home runs, 150 hits, 64 extra-base hits, and 91 RBIs were all the most by a Rockies’ primary catcher in a single season in franchise history.

Key 2025 number: Seven. Home runs hit in the ninth inning last season, the second most in the majors behind Seattle star Cal Raleigh (eight).

Worth noting: Last season, Goodman was the first NL catcher to hit 30 home runs in a season since the Braves’ Javy Lopez hit 43 in 2003.

Brett Sullivan

The 32-year-old has played in just 43 big-league games, including three with Pittsburgh last season, with a slash line of .204/.250/.291. But the Rockies like his defense, so they picked him over Braxton Fulford as the backup catcher.

Key 2025 number: .167. His batting average in three games with the Pirates.

Worth noting: He’s out of options, so he’ll need to stick on the major league roster or be exposed to waivers.

First base

TJ Rumfield

Acquired from the Yankees in an offseason trade for reliever Angel Chivilli, Rumfield will likely make his major league debut on Friday. Rumfield posted above-average numbers at every stop in the minors, including his nearly two full seasons in Triple-A.

Key 2025 number: 16. Home runs hit last season for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Worth noting: The left-handed hitter went unselected in last December’s Rule 5 draft.

Troy Johnston

The Rockies claimed the 28-year-old left-hander off waivers from the Marlins in November after he hit .277 with four homers in 44 games. At Triple-A Jacksonville, he slashed 252/.333/.439, with 12 homers, over 84 games.

Key 2025 number: 108. Innings he played at first base last season — without making an error.

Worth noting: In 2023, he was the Marlins’ minor league player of the year.

Second base

Willi Castro

Signed to a two-year, $12.8 million deal in January, he provides Colorado with infield versatility because he can play second, third and shortstop, as well as all three outfield positions. He was an All-Star with the Twins in 2024.

Key 2025 number: .226. Batting average last season with the Cubs, a big step down from his .244 career average.

Worth noting: Castro, a switch-hitter, has good speed and the Rockies hope he can help spark their running game.

Edouard Julien

Acquired in a trade with Minnesota, Julien can play both first and second base. He’s hoping to regain the magic of this 2023 rookie season with the Twins when he posted a .263/.381/.459 slash line with 16 home runs. Since then, however, Julien has struggled, producing a .623 OPS over 509 plate appearances from 2024-25.

Key 2025 number: .220. His batting average with the Twins last season when he played in only 64 games.

Worth noting: Julien, who was born in Quebec, played for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

Third base

Kyle Karros

Many, including Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer, believe Castro can be a Gold Glove third baseman. However, he has work to do at the plate. In 43 games as a rookie last season, Karros slashed .226/.308/.277 with four doubles, just one home run, and nine RBIs.

Key 2025 number: .306. Average in 16 Triple-A games last season before his promotion to the Rockies.

Worth noting: He’s the son of Eric Karros, who played 14 seasons in the majors, most of them with the Dodgers. Eric had a career .268 batting average and slugged 284 homers.

Shortstop

Ezequiel Tovar

A Gold Glove winner in 2024, Tovar suffered from hip and oblique injuries during a disappointing 2025 season. He’s primed for a comeback season and is Colorado’s best position player.

Key 2025 number: 95. Number of games played last season, hitting .253 with nine home runs.

Worth noting: Tovar was outstanding for the Venezuelan team that won the WBC. In six games, he hit .471 (8 for 17) with three doubles and two steals.

Left field

Jake McCarthy

Seeking speed and versatility, Colorado acquired McCarthy from the Diamondbacks in January for minor league right-hander Josh Grosz. The left-handed-hitting McCarthy, 28, slashed .260/.324/.381 with 24 home runs and 83 steals across five seasons with Arizona.

Key 2025 number: .204. Big-league average last season that included just four home runs and 20 RBIs. He played 49 games at Triple-A Reno, where he batted .314.

Worth noting: According to Statcast, McCarthy ranks in the 99th percentile in sprint speed in the majors.

Center field

Brenton Doyle

In 2023-24, he became the first outfielder in National League history to win a Gold Glove in his first two major league seasons. But he had a difficult 2025 season offensively when he hit just .233 with 15 home runs.

Key 2025 number: .344. Batting average, including seven home runs and 22 RBIs in August.

Worth noting: Hit just .193 (53-for-274) over 71 games entering July last season.

Right field

Jordan Beck

Beck seems primed for a breakout season as he moves from left field to right field. Last season, he was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on April 7 after starting the season 3-for-20 (.150) over nine games, but was recalled on April 19 and put together a solid .258/.416/.732 slash line and 16 home runs.

Key 2025 number: 19. Stolen bases, most on the club.

Worth noting: He had 12 outfield assists last season, the second-most in the majors and tied for the third-most outfield assists in a single season by a Colorado outfielder since 2007.

Designated hitter/right fielder

Mickey Moniak

Signed by Colorado just a day before the 2025 season opener, Moniak had a breakout year, setting career highs in games (135), runs (62), hits (117), triples (eight), home runs (24), RBIs (68) and stolen bases (nine). He’ll be counted on to spark Colorado’s offense.

Key 2025 number: Four. Consecutive games in which he homered, from Sept. 14-18. He became the first Rockie to homer in four straight since Ryan McMahon from May 26-29, 2023.

Worth noting: Was selected first overall by the Phillies in the 2016 MLB draft.

Bench/Utility

Ryan Ritter

Last year, after mashing at Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, Ritter got his big-league call-up on June 6 and batted .241/.296/.337 in 60 games with nine doubles, three triples, and one home run. He played mostly second base with occasional stints at shortstop.

Key 2025 number: .206. His batting average on the road in 24 games. Like most of his teammates, he was a much better hitter at Coors Field, where he hit .261 in 36 games.

Worth noting: Ritter got some playing time in left field during spring training, adding to his versatility.

On Tuesday, the club announced that veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland will be on the mound when it opens its 2026 season on March 27 in Miami against the Marlins. The Denver native will extend his own club record for opening day starts. He’s entering his 10th season with the Rockies.

Freeland, 32, also pitched the opener in 2019, 2022, ’24 and ’25. He also pitched the Rockies’ home opener on April 7, 2017, vs. the Dodgers at Coors Field in his major league debut. 

His 2019 opener also came at Miami. In that game, he pitched a seven-inning gem, allowing just one run on two hits against the Marlins. Coming off their 2018 playoff season, the Rockies beat Miami, 6-3.

“Miami was cool for my first one,” Freeland told reporters Tuesday at spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz. “It seems like a long time ago, even though it was really just seven years ago. Now, being able to do it again in Miami for my fifth one, I’m excited, and hopefully I’ll have another good start.”

Last season, the lefty had another impressive opener, throwing six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts while allowing only two hits against the Tampa Bay Rays. However, the Rockies lost 3-2 when Kameron Misner hit a walk-off homer off Victor Vodnik. It was an ominous beginning for the Rockies, who ended up losing a franchise-record 119 games.

Freeland, who has raved about the changes the Rockies have made to their front office and coaching staff in the way of last season, said he wants to set a strong tone in the first game.

“Tone setting is always important, whether it����ap game 45 or game one or game 162,” Freeland told reporters. “Rolling into everything that����ap new and everything that we’ve changed, there’s going to be a little more emphasis on that tone, making sure we really want to set that tone the right way.”

The Rockies signed three veteran starters — right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano and lefty Jose Quintana  — in an attempt to stabilize their shaky rotation, but manager Warren Schaffer tabbed Freeland for the honor of throwing Colorado’s first pitch of the season.

“Any time you get a veteran on board with a lot of changes that you’re trying to make, it����ap really good,” Schaeffer said. “It����ap good for Kyle to get that fifth opening day start, but there were some thoughts (about starting another veteran). Quintana (37) has been pitching a long time, but when I talked to ‘Q’ in here this morning, he was really happy for ‘Free.’ ”

Freeland got a late start in spring training because he was dealing with lower back spasms. Since returning, Freeland has made two solid starts, posting a 5.0 ERA with four hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.

This is a big season for Freeland. He is entering the final year of the five-year, $64.5 million contract extension signed in April 2022. Freeland holds a $17 million vesting, player option for 2027 that will kick in if he pitches 170 innings.

Those factors, plus multiple intangibles, are running through the baseball brains of Rockies head honchos Paul DePodesta, Josh Byrnes, and Warren Schaeffer as they look toward the season opener on March 27 at Miami.

Who will be the fifth starter? Chase Dollander or Ryan Feltner? Or perhaps a retooled Antonio Senzatela. It’s doubtful, but perhaps righty Tanner Gordon works his way into the mix.

Is slick-fielding third baseman Kyle Karros ready for a full season against major league pitching? Or would a stint at Triple-A Albuquerque do him good? Schaffer and the front office are debating that.

Will the Rockies, who have a surplus of young outfielders, make a spring training trade? It’s very possible.

Will the Rockies stock their bullpen with long relievers, enabling them to “piggyback” some of their starters? And what other pitching experiments are in store for 2026? That’s a mystery that’s still unsolved.

So many questions in need of solid answers as the Rockies attempt to rise from the rubble of their 119-loss season in 2025. They have 13 exhibition games left to go before they decide on their 26-man roster.

Here is my — qualified — projected roster:

Starting rotation

Veteran left-handers Kyle Freeland and Jose Quintana, and veteran right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano form the core four. If the Rockies go with a traditional five-man rotation, that leaves that one spot open.

I’ll go with Dollander, who’s had a nice spring. He’s their top pitcher, in terms of talent, and I don’t think he’s going to learn much more pitching at Triple-A.

Feltner, who still has options, could begin the season with the Isotopes or even become a long reliever for Colorado. Senzatela likely pitches out of the bullpen, where he finished last season. Reports are that he’s become more than a predictable and highly hittable fastball pitcher. I’m not sold yet.

Bullpen

This is a tough call because there are so many moving parts right now. Schaeffer has said he’s not going to open the season with a specific closer, so that adds more intrigue as camp begins to wind down.

Plus, the Rockies could use options — and even the injured list — to shuttle multiple relievers between Triple-A and the big-league team, a la the Dodgers.

The locks: Right-handers Seth Halvorsen, Jimmy Herget, Zach Agnos, Victor Vodnik, Juan Mejia, and Senzatela, and lefty Brennan Bernardino.

In the mix: Right-handers Keegan Thompson, Jaden Hill, and 35-year-old John Brebbia.

Catcher

All-Star Hunter Goodman will get the bulk of the games, but speedy Braxton Fulford is not a lock as the No. 2 backstop. Left-handed-hitting Brett Sullivan has had a solid camp, plus, he’s got more experience as a game-caller than Fulford does. Tough call here, but I’ll go with Fulford and his athleticism.

Infield

This is tricky, and it could come down to the final week of camp.

Rookie TJ Rumsfield has the edge at first base right now, though veteran utility infielder Edouard Julien has much-needed experience. Still, I’m anointing Rumsfeld as the starter.

Blaine Crim has missed most of camp with an oblique strain, so he’s unlikely to make the team out of camp.

Willi Castro is Colorado’s best second baseman, but he could also man third if the Rockies decide to send Karros down. Ezequiel Tovar, of course, is a lock at shortstop. Ryan Ritter, Tyler Freeman, and Julien can all move around the infield, so they’ll battle for a utility role. Ritter, I believe, has made a huge impression on Schaeffer, and I can’t imagine that he doesn’t make the team.

Outfield

The Rockies will begin the season with newcomer Jake McCarthy in left, Brenton Doyle in center, and Jordan Beck in right. Mickey Moniak will be the primary designated hitter and will also fill a backup role in center and right.

The fifth outfield/utility spot could feature Freeman, Castro, Ritter, and possibly Troy Johnston.

This was no daydreaming. Vank, a promising right-hander who is the No. 1 starter for Northeastern Junior College, is playing for the Czech Republic in the He is one of only a handful of college players to make a 2026 WBC roster.

Japan is in pool for the tournament, setting up the possibility of Vank facing off against Dodgers superstar designated hitter Shohei Ohtani when the two teams play on March 10 at the Tokyo Dome.

“It’s every kid’s dream to face Ohtani,” said Vank, who will pitch out of the bullpen for the Czech Republic. “I’ve visualized facing Ohtani a couple times already. How I might start him off, and what I might throw in certain counts.

“I’ll take the showdown with respect, but I also don’t want to give him too much respect — I want to believe in myself that I can do the job and put him away.”

The appearance in the WBC for , the Region IX Pitcher of the Year last year for the Plainsmen, is a culmination of a lifetime of work in the game despite growing up in a soccer- and hockey-dominated country where baseball is very low on the list of sporting priorities.

Vank started playing for Czech Republic’s youth national team at 12, and by age 16, he was pitching in the country’s highest league, the Czech Baseball Extraliga. As a teenager competing against adult men, he won the award for the league’s top junior player.

His journey on the diamond took him all around Europe and the world, including to Taiwan, Italy, Nederland, Germany, Spain and Japan already. Vank also went to London for an MLB Development Camp, North Carolina where he played his junior season of high school, and Phoenix for a showcase before arriving on Colorado’s eastern plains.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander from Prague has a low-90s fastball, a slider and a curveball and also recently added a changeup. Before he got to Northeastern, he was primarily a fastball/slider pitcher. But the expansion of his arsenal, and a strong first season in Sterling, put him on the radar of Division I recruiters.

“In the last 18 months, him fully developing into a four-pitch repertoire type of guy is opening up opportunities for him, whether it’s Division I or professionally, to now have more options and be either a starter, a reliever or a closer,” Northeastern head coach said.

Kachel said Vank’s signature moment so far with the Plainsmen came in the regular season finale last season, when Vank baffled Western Nebraska Community College with eight innings of shutout ball, scattering three hits while racking up 10 strikeouts.

Vank’s catcher, Northeastern Junior College sophomore Brayden Stufft, says the sacrifices the pitcher is making to come play ball thousands of miles from home — leaving behind family and friends in the process — is apparent. So, too, is Vank’s “energy and aura.”

“At the beginning of last season, he was super quiet, and you could tell he was here for business,” said. “He was here to dominate and make his family back home proud. He has. Many of his starts have been electric.

“And for him to play in the WBC, it brings a lot of attention to us as a program. We’re striving as a team to win a (region) title and go to a district and eventually go to the JuCo World Series. That’s our goals, and seeing our ace on the world stage gives us confidence as a team that we belong.”

Vank’s mother, Marie Vanková, says that while growing up, her son earned the nickname “srdcař” from his teammates. The rough English translation of that is someone who does something with immense passion, because Vank was always determined to become one of the top baseball players in his country.

“He’s had times growing up when he was not as successful as he wanted, and he wasn’t on the path to (where he is now),” Vanková said. “So he stopped speaking about it and went to work really hard. Before school, he would wake up at 5 in the morning and go to the gym. He’s always given this game everything he has.”

As the WBC begins on Wednesday ahead of the Czech Republic’s first game on Thursday against Korea, back in Sterling, Vank’s Plainsmen will be pulling hard for “srdcař”.

“We’re going to be eyes-locked on the TV — we’ll put the game on in the clubby, or we’ll just put it on a projector somewhere,” Stufft said. “We will be watching and supporting him from afar, with probably tons of phones out (to record) when he gets on the mound.

“And no matter what happens (against Japan), we’ve all been joking with him to get an Ohtani signature to bring us back as a souvenir.”

Players with Colorado ties in the 2026 WBC

Local names to watch for in the that culminates with the championship on March 17 in Miami.

Rockies players/prospects

LHP Brennan Bernardino (Mexico)
INF Cole Carrigg (Israel)
UTL Willi Castro (Puerto Rico)
LHP Antoine Jean (Canada)
OF Troy Johnston (Israel)
2B Edouard Julien (Canada)
RHP Michael Lorenzen (Italy)
RHP Juan Mejia (Dominican Republic)
LHP Jose Quintana (Columbia)
RHP Antonio Senzatela (Venezuela)
RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (Japan)
SS Ezequiel Tovar (Venezuela)
RHP Victor Vodnik (Mexico)

Ex-Rockies, locals

Puerto Rico 3B Nolan Arenado (ex-Rockies)
Dominican Republic RHP Carlos Estévez (ex-Rockies)
Puerto Rico RHP Rico Garcia (ex-Rockies)
USA RHP Griffin Jax (Cherry Creek, Air Force)
USA RHP Paul Skenes (Air Force)
Venezuela RHP Anthony Molina (ex-Rockies)
Italy RHP Adam Ottavino (ex-Rockies)
Nederlands OF Jurickson Profar (ex Rockies)
Canada RHP Cal Quantrill (ex-Rockies)
Czech Republic RHP Ondrej Vank (Northeastern Junior College)
Czech Republic UTL Terrin Vavra (ex-Rockies prospect)

Coaches of note

Mexico bench coach Vinny Castilla (ex-Rockies, current special assistant)
USA hitting coach Matt Holliday (ex-Rockies)
Israel bullpen coach Jason Marquis (ex-Rockies)
Canada hitting coach Justin Morneau (ex-Rockies)
Venezuela first base coach Gerardo Parra (ex-Rockies)
Great Britain third base coach Jeff Salazar (ex-Rockies player/hitting coach)

It was time for what the ultra-detailed spring training schedule called T.T.G. (Talking The Game). For 15 minutes, the players focused on one thing: the contact play, in which a baserunner at third base breaks for home if the ball is not hit directly at an infielder.

Bench coach Jeff Pickler, third base coach Andy Gonzalez, first base coach Doug Bernier, assistant hitting coach Jordan Pacheco and Schaeffer all took players aside to point out the nuances of the contact play.

Schaeffer acknowledged that the Rockies were bad at baserunning — and many other baseball basics — during Colorado’s miserable 119-loss season in 2025. He is intent on changing the narrative, and it starts with a back-to-basics approach at the team’s Salt River Fields complex.

“The individual skills and defensive work and baserunning work, it’s all tailored to what the players need,” Schaeffer said. “(We have) a higher coach-to-play ratio now. We are teaching the game, and players are getting what they need.

“Players aren’t just going out there and taking groundballs just for the sake of it. There is real, intentional work going on.”

A fresh approach

Schaeffer, the interim manager for much of last season after taking over when Bud Black was fired in May, is running a big-league camp for the first time. He believes major changes are necessary for the Rockies to break out of a seven-year losing streak that includes three consecutive 100-loss seasons. Schaeffer sought counsel from all his coaches, especially new bench coach Jeff Pickler, as he formulated his spring training blueprint.

Of course, it’s still very early — Wednesday marked just the second full-squad workout, and Colorado’s first Cactus League game is Friday — but the players are giving a hearty thumbs up to “Camp Schaeffer.”

“The energy around here is great,” center fielder Brenton Doyle said. “The vibes around here are really good; something I haven’t felt around here in previous years. There is a lot of good stuff going on, and I think a lot of people are going to buy into it.”

One thing’s for sure: Players are going to get more sleep during their 42-day stint in the desert. In recent years, the players were often in the batting cages by 7 a.m, trying to hone their swing with sleep still in their eyes. Schaeffer changed that, aiming for the Rockies to be fresh when they open the regular season on March 27 in Miami.

“No. 1, everything is important,” the manager said. “So, we’re pushing the guys’ morning schedule back and giving them time to get ready for the day, and not having to wake up at 5 a.m.”

Doyle, 28, welcomes the change.

“I used to be able to roll out of bed and just go play,” he said. “It’s different for me now. I’m glad things have changed, and the schedule is much better than in the past. ‘Schaeff’ has given us time to get warmed up and get ready, so that when we do go on that field, it doesn’t feel rushed. Camp is very scheduled and very detailed. There is not a lot of wasted time.”

Catcher Hunter Goodman, Colorado’s lone All-Star last season, came to Arizona determined to get better defensively and to become a better game-caller. He welcomes the chance to hone his craft.

“I need this, 100%,” he said. “There is a lot more time in the schedule for individual stuff. Our catchers’ work, for example. We are getting 25-30 minutes a day, just working on catching stuff and not doing anything else. It’s a change, for sure.

“In the past, we would just be catching bullpens and trying to do our own work in between bullpens. Having a set time to do individual work has been nice. I think they are giving us the tools to succeed.”

Goodman slashed .278/.323/.520 with 31 homers last season, while starting 97 games behind the plate, and lining up as the designated hitter 39 times. Schaeffer believes there is more offensive firepower in Goodman’s game, and he wants the catcher to find it this spring — and hold onto it.

“Historically, catchers have always just gotten through spring training,” Schaeffer said. “It’s like, ‘Let’s get through this.’ Now, (we have) intentional time built into the day for them to get better at their craft.

“They’re still going to catch their bullpens; the day’s set up for that. And that’s valuable. But they have time to work on their defense and their hitting. A lot of times in spring, the catchers’ hitting gets neglected. And our catcher is the best hitter on our team. So, we can’t neglect that time.”

Blending technology and old-fashioned instruction

Among Colorado’s weaknesses last season, starting pitching was the most glaring. A 6.65 ERA for the starting rotation, the worst in major league history, crippled the team’s ability to compete. In an attempt to fix that, new pitching coach Alon Leichman, assistant coach Gabe Ribas, bullpen coach Matt Buschmann, and pitching coordinator Matt Daniels were brought on board.

They’re tasked with using technology, analytics and old-fashioned instruction to fix the problems. Right-hander Chase Dollander, who has the best pure stuff on the staff, struggled last year as a rookie, going 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA in 21 starts. Dollander said he welcomes his spring training tutorials.

“There is definitely a lot more individual teaching going on,” he said. “The coaches are doing a deep dive into the analytics and the mechanical stuff that you need. They present it to you in an understandable way.

“Of course, it’s also up to you to approach them and talk about certain things that you need to understand. But it’s been great. These are smart guys with smart stuff.”

On Wednesday, lefty starter Kyle Freeland, right-handed starter Ryan Feltner, and closer candidate Victor Vodnik threw in the main stadium at Salt River. The Rockies wanted to take advantage of the Statcast-applicable tracking technology in the ballpark.

Of course, there is always the danger of paralysis by too much analysis. Schaeffer, however, doesn’t think that will be a problem. He’s confident his pitching coaches can translate spin rates, biomechanics data and grip adjustments in language the pitchers will grasp.

“That’s why we hired these guys,” Schaeffer said. “They are extremely smart, and they all know that data. They might go in different directions sometimes, but they come together in the best interest of the player. It’s been fun to watch, so far. They can give it to (the pitchers) in layman’s terms, which is huge. And it’s huge for me, too.”

The Rockies’ new right-hander should get his wish, now that he’s pitching in the National League West, where the Dodgers’ superstar resides.

“I don’t have a set game plan going in to face Shohei Ohtani yet,” Sugano said Monday through interpreter Yuto Sakarai after throwing his first live batting practice of spring training. “Last year, he hit two home runs off me, so as a Japanese player, I would like to attack him and try to be productive.”

Sugano has faced Ohtani in only one game in the majors. Just two at-bats, in fact, as a starter for Baltimore last season. That was on Sept. 7 when Ohtani connected for his 47th and 48th home runs in his first two at-bats in the Dodgers’  5-2 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Ohtani and Sugano, shining stars in Japan, were both first-round selections in the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball draft. Ohtani was selected by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and Sugoan was drafted by the Yomiuri Giants. The pair faced each other only once in Japan, when Ohtani went 2 for 3 with a double on June 10, 2015.

Last week, the Rockies, looking to add a veteran presence to their rotation, signed the 36-year-old Sugano to a one-year, $5.1 million contract. He is scheduled to depart camp on Tuesday to pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. It will be his second WBC, following his participation in the 2017 tournament.

The Rockies signed Sugano because of his vast experience, believing he would have a positive impact on Colorado’s stable of young starters.

“I expect the ultimate professional,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I expect him to fill up the strike zone. I expect him to take the ball every fifth day, just like he has his entire career.

“I expect him to provide ideas of leadership. I had dinner with him the other night, and he is just a fantastic human being. I’m so excited to have him around. But on the field, I look for consistency in the strike zone.”

Lefty Kyle Freeland, entering his 10th season with the Rockies, welcomes Sugano’s presence.

“I liked that he’s begun to pick my brain early, especially about pitching at Coors Field,” Freeland said. “We will get into some particulars later in camp, but we’ve already talked about fitness, staying hydrated, and the importance of getting enough sleep at altitude, in Colorado.”

Sugano joined the Orioles a year ago after a 12-season career with Yomiuri,  during which he won three Central League MVP awards and two Sawamura Awards (Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young). But he admittedly struggled with the Orioles in his first season in the majors.

He was a workhorse, as he’s been throughout his career, leading Baltimore in starts (30) and innings pitched (157) while posting a 4.64 ERA. However, he also led the American League in homers allowed (33).

One of the things the Rockies are stressing with all of their pitchers is getting ahead in counts, something the Rockies failed to do much of the time during their 119-loss 2025 season. Sugano should set an example.

“I’m focused on attacking the zone as much as I can,” he said.

That’s worked well for him throughout his career. Last season, he allowed just 2.1 walks per nine innings. However, the right-hander’s 15.1% strikeout rate was among the lowest in the majors. He’s not a flame-thrower — 92.7 mph average four-seamer, 92.9 mph average sinker — so he competes with guile and a versatile arsenal.

Sugano said he understands that for all he accomplished in Japan, he still has a lot to prove in MLB — especially in Colorado.

“All of the accolades I had in Japan, I left in Japan,” he said. “I only think about being successful over here.”

For the record, Sugano’s possible first chance to face Ohtani again will be when the Dodgers come to Colorado for a four-game series, April 17-20.

WBC roster

The Rockies have 12 players scheduled to compete in the World Baseball Classic, which begins March 5. However, no Rockies are playing for Team USA.

The Rockies scheduled to play in the WBC are:

• Right-handed pitchers Antonio Senzatela (Venezuela), Michael Lorenzen (Italy), Victor Vodnik (Mexico), Juan Mejia (Dominican Republic), and Sugano (Japan)
• Left-handed pitchers Jose Quintana (Colombia) and Brennan Bernardino (Mexico)
• Infielders Ezequiel Tovar (Venezuela) and Edouard Julien (Canada)
• Infielder/outfielders Willi Castro (Puerto Rico), Troy Johnston (Israel) and Cole Carrigg (Israel)

Injury news

The Rockies opened camp in relatively good shape. Infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman has been slowed by back soreness, but he is on the road back. He began running on Feb. 12 and started taking grounders on Feb. 13.

Designated hitter Kris Bryant, diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disk disease last season, was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 10. He’ll miss all of spring training, and there is a chance he will never play baseball again.

And right-hander Jeff Criswell, who underwent Tommy John surgery last spring, remains on the 60-day IL. He began throwing off the mound last Thursday and the Rockies are looking toward mid-April for Crisell to begin pitching in games.