The Rockies made a roster move Thursday, designating right-hander Bradley Blalock for assignment to clear space for newly signed veteran Michael Lorenzen. Lorenzen’s one-year deal, which includes a club option for 2027, is now official and adds some experience to a pitching staff looking for stability.
As for Blalock, the 25-year-old has had a rough go of it at the big league level. Over parts of the last two seasons with the Rockies and Brewers, he's logged 89 1/3 innings but struggled mightily, posting an 8.16 ERA.
That number tells part of the story, but the underlying metrics don’t do him many favors either. His strikeout rate (11.1%) barely edges out his walk rate (10.2%), and he's been far too vulnerable to the long ball - giving up home runs at a clip of 2.12 per nine innings.
Blalock’s challenges haven’t been limited to the majors. His time in Triple-A has also been rocky, with a career ERA north of 8.00 at that level.
That said, it’s worth noting that most of that came in Albuquerque, one of the most hitter-friendly environments in all of professional baseball. Still, the numbers are what they are.
There have been flashes of potential in his earlier stops. Blalock posted a 4.36 ERA over two partial seasons in Double-A and turned in sub-4.00 ERAs with solid strikeout numbers at both High-A and Low-A. Those performances showed a pitcher with some upside, especially before he reached the upper minors.
One encouraging sign in Blalock’s profile is his uptick in velocity. His average fastball jumped from 93.5 mph in 2024 to 94.6 mph in 2025 - a notable gain.
He works with a diverse pitch mix, including a slider, splitter, curveball, and cutter. Among those, the splitter stood out in 2025 as the only pitch to grade out as above average.
Now, the Rockies have five days to figure out Blalock’s next move. They can try to trade him or place him on outright waivers. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so within a week, we’ll know whether he’s been claimed or cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A.
Blalock still has a minor league option remaining and a decent track record before joining Colorado, so there’s a chance another team with some roster flexibility might see him as a reclamation project - perhaps in a swingman role. But given his recent struggles, the Rockies may have a good shot at sneaking him through waivers and keeping him in the organization as depth.
For now, it’s a tough break for Blalock, but not necessarily the end of the road. Arms with velocity and a deep pitch mix don’t grow on trees, and if he can harness his stuff more consistently, there may still be a path back to the big leagues.