Rockies' Young Arms Face Steep Climb Amid Veteran Rotation Additions
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The Rockies' front office made one thing clear this offseason: the days of handing out starts to unseasoned arms by default are over. With a trio of veteran pitchers-Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and José Quintana-joining the fold since mid-January, Colorado’s young starters now find themselves in a much different environment heading into 2026: one where innings have to be earned.
That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s exactly the kind of competitive atmosphere that could help a rebuilding Rockies club take a step forward.
For 24-year-old Chase Dollander, last season was a trial by fire. The former first-round pick was thrust into the rotation less than two years after being drafted out of Tennessee, and it showed.
He went 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA, learning on the fly in a big-league environment that rarely forgives mistakes. But Dollander isn’t shying away from the challenge that this new-look rotation presents.
“I talk to Kyle Freeland still. Lorenzen and I have been talking about stuff he has experienced and stuff he has done to help throughout his career, and I talked a little bit to Sugano and hope the opportunity to talk to Quintana will arise,” Dollander said.
“Competition is always good - it brings out the best in everybody. The more I can push myself, have them push me and feel like I can push them, too, it’s going to be really exciting."
That mindset is exactly what the Rockies are looking for. The goal this offseason wasn’t to block young talent-it was to give it room to breathe.
By adding experienced arms, Colorado has created a situation where promising pitchers like Dollander and 25-year-old righty Brown can continue developing without being overexposed too early. If they don’t dominate in camp, they’ll likely start the year in the Minors, but they’ll still be part of the equation as rotation depth.
The Rockies aren’t short on in-house options, either. Freeland, the lefty anchor of the staff, is back.
Ryan Feltner and Antonio Senzatela are also in the mix, with Senzatela getting a shot to reclaim a rotation spot after battling injuries. That’s a lot of names for five spots-and that’s the point.
“Young pitchers are being asked to earn their innings and learn their craft - and see who’s best,” said Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman. “Competition is always good.
If you’re a young guy and a veteran comes in, you have a few options - you can shy away from learning from him, or just go out and take his spot. Nothing is guaranteed here.
It’s a good blend of the young and the old. Both sides need to take advantage of that.
We’ll grow as a team like that.”
That blend is already showing signs of chemistry. Veterans like Lorenzen and Sugano bring more than just innings-they bring a mindset.
Sugano, who led the American League in home runs allowed last season (33), still impressed the Rockies with his elite control. His walk rate of 2.1 per nine innings is exactly the kind of approach Colorado wants its young arms to emulate.
“Attacking the strike zone-that’s the common thread,” said manager Warren Schaeffer. “The main thing for all our pitchers is to get into the strike zone early in the count.”
That’s what worked for 28-year-old righty Gordon, who led the team with six wins last season and ranked second in quality starts behind Freeland. Gordon knows what it’s like to grind through a tough season-he was part of a rotation that helped the Rockies limp to a 43-119 finish-but he also knows how valuable that experience can be.
“I learned a lot - I think you learn more from the losses than the wins,” Gordon said. “It’s good to have a season like that under my belt, to go back into the memory vault and think of those games. That helps a ton.”
For Dollander and Brown, the lessons came with growing pains. Both struggled with command-Dollander walked 4.5 batters per nine innings, while Brown, who has dealt with injuries throughout his career, posted a 6.0 walk rate.
Those numbers won’t cut it at the Major League level, but the tools are there. The challenge now is refining them in an environment that demands more precision, more consistency, and more maturity.
Last year’s rookies have already shaken off some of the wide-eyed awe that comes with making it to The Show. As Gordon put it, “the atmosphere, the lights, the music, the fans”-those things don’t rattle them like they used to.
That’s a good sign. Now it’s about channeling that experience into execution.
The 2026 season won’t be about shortcuts or soft landings. The Rockies have built a rotation that, if healthy, gives them a chance to stay competitive while letting their young arms grow the right way-by earning their way back to the bigs, not being rushed into it.
And for a franchise looking to build something sustainable, that’s exactly how it should be.