Colorado Rockies: Who Takes The Rotation Spot of Chad Bettis?

Aug 6, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of Coors Field in the sixth inning of the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Miami Marlins. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 6, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of Coors Field in the sixth inning of the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Miami Marlins. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
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Chad Bettis of the Colorado Rockies
Sep 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chad Bettis (35) in the first inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

When Chad Bettis made the announcement on Friday that his cancer had returned and he would need to pursue chemotherapy, thoughts and prayers immediately started for the Colorado Rockies starting pitcher.

However, not long after that, thoughts also turned to the business of baseball and who would be taking the 27-year-old right-hander’s place in the Rockies rotation.

We’ve talked for weeks now about who might be the fifth starter for the Rockies. However, Colorado now needs to find two starters for its rotation with the absence of Bettis.

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Barring any injury or unforeseen circumstances, Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson and Tyler Chatwood are locked in as three starters for Colorado when the season begins. Who will man the other two spots?

In this article, we talked about how 22-year-old Antonio Senzatela had been impressive in recent spring training action and had definitely caught the attention of manager Bud Black and the Rockies coaching staff. While he’s been solid in spring training, he also has no experience above the Double-A level. It’s very possible that Senzatela, who has a 41-19 mark and 2.45 ERA in the minors since 2015, could shock the world and start the season in the Majors.

Who else is in the running to start the season in the rotation? Let’s break down some of the candidates. They are listed in no particular order.

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