Mar 22, 2015; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher M. Castro (71) throws a warm up pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays at Florida Auto Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Late inning relievers
The Wish List: Adam Ottavino (closer), free agent or trade acquisition, Tommy Kahnle, Miguel Castro.
Unfortunately, Adam Ottavino isn’t going to be ready for at least the first couple months of the 2016 season after undergoing elbow surgery, so this wish list is already a bit unrealistic. But until he comes back, both Kahnle and Castro have the stuff (at least on paper) to fit in the late innings.
Kahnle, though, has faded down the stretch in 2015 thanks to awful command in his last several outings, so that’s always a concern. And Castro, who was the Blue Jays’ closer for the first month of 2015, didn’t impress enough to stay in the big leagues and eventually got traded to Colorado after being buried in AAA.
Both of those guys throw hard, and when they’re good, they are filthy, but consistency is a question.
[ Related: The Colorado Rockies really miss Adam Ottavino ]
The Reality: It has to be a new guy.
Because of the questionable consistency, a free agent or trade acquisition is ideal for the late innings in 2016. The Colorado Rockies simply don’t have enough quality organizational depth to use a guy who’s currently in the organization as a closer for a few months in 2016.
Since the Rockies have so many potential guys they could and/or should trade this winter (Carlos Gonzalez, Wilin Rosario, Jorge De La Rosa, Jose Reyes, perhaps Charlie Blackmon or even DJ LeMahieu), it’s somewhat likely they could get a late-inning reliever back in some deal that gets done.
Otherwise, the Rockies absolutely need to make a move on a free agent reliever this winter that can help in the late innings while Ottavino recovers for a few months.
Organizational Depth: Jairo Diaz.
Diaz has shown the Rockies something this week, albeit in very limited action in the big leagues. But he can absolutely bring heat with a fastball that touches 100 mph, and if he can command his pitches well enough, there’s an opportunity for him to spend a lot of time next season up in Denver.
Next: The middle reliever wish list