Colorado Rockies Bud Black: Greg Holland is our closer

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black made it perfectly clear on Monday afternoon that Greg Holland is the closer for the team, despite his recent struggles.

Speaking to the media inside the Rockies dugout before Colorado started a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Coors Field, Black didn’t mince any words when it came to Holland’s role in the Colorado bullpen. Those words coming despite Jake McGee picking up two saves over the last two days, including a Saturday night victory when Holland surrendered a two-run home run in the ninth inning.

McGee coerced a game-ending double play against the Braves on Saturday then pitched a spotless ninth on Sunday to give the Rockies a series win at SunTrust Park.

More from Rox PileA Colorado Rockies ThanksgivingColorado Rockies: What if Todd Helton had played football instead?Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the seasonColorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers seriesColorado Rockies: Has Sean Bouchard earned a second look in 2023?“Greg is doing fine,” Black told Rox Pile and other media members. “Greg didn’t pitch yesterday (in a 3-0 win on Sunday in Atlanta) because if he would’ve pitched yesterday in that save situation, he would have pitched four out of five days. Greg was not going to pitch yesterday so we needed somebody to pitch. That’s why Jake pitched. If you’ve noticed, when we’ve had a couple of save opportunities when Greg has not been available, it’s been Jake, since the first week of the season.“Greg is our closer. He has been working on a couple of things within his pitching style that we think are going to benefit him moving forward. I do know this, Greg will be a big part of where we want to be moving forward.”

Including that two-run homer surrendered on Saturday in a save situation in Atlanta, Holland’s ERA has spiked to 15.12 this month in 10 games. Over the course of 8.1 innings in August, Holland has given up four home runs and only converted on three of six save opportunities. This after coming through on 34 of his first 35 opportunities in Colorado.

Holland entered August with a 1.64 overall ERA but has seen that balloon to 4.05.

The 31-year-old right-hander has 36 saves this season while McGee has three. Tyler Chatwood and Chris Rusin have also each earned a save in 2017 for the Rockies.

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Should Holland continue to struggle, McGee, who held the closer job with Tampa Bay and last season for a time in Colorado, is not only the only Rockies reliever with closing mentality. Pat Neshek and Mike Dunn have each earned saves in the past, although Holland and McGee have by far the most experience.