Colorado Rockies: Potential September roster call-ups

Tomorrow, September 1, is when all Major League Baseball teams can call up players from the minor leagues as the roster expands from 25 to 40. However, most teams don’t utilize all 40 spots.

Before the Rockies start a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks tomorrow night, the Rockies, like most teams, will almost definitely make a few moves to bolster their pitching staff and bench. Here are some of the potential options that the Rockies will call up tomorrow or some time in September.

Pitching Options

Rockies manager Bud Black loves to have a deep bullpen and with rosters expanding, he will definitely bring up some relievers.

Some options include Carlos Estevez, Zac Rosscup, Jairo Diaz, and Shane Carle (who have all seen time with the Rockies this year). Rosscup, Diaz, and Carle have seen a combined eight appearances at the major league level while Estevez has had 21 appearances with the Rockies this year with a 6.53 ERA (but for some reason, he is 5-0, which is another way to show that win and loss stats are useless). However, in his past six games, going back to May 31, he has gone 7 1/3 innings while only allowing two runs for an ERA of 2.45.

Jeff Hoffman will also be recalled to the Majors sooner or later and Tyler Anderson, once healthy after completing his rehab assignment, will also see some time with the Rockies. They, obviously, could see some starts and give the current starting a rotation a bit of a breather.

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Position player options

Catcher Ryan Hanigan will be activated off the disabled list sometime during the month and catcher Tom Murphy will probably be recalled so the Rockies, potentially, could have four catchers on the roster (with Jonathan Lucroy and Tony Wolters already on the roster).

Of players that are currently on the 40-man roster, Ryan McMahon, Raimel Tapia, Mike Tauchman, and Jordan Patterson could all see call-ups. Tapia, however, was just sent back on Monday. As a result the earliest he could be recalled is Labor Day since the minor league season ends on Sunday. Another option is David Dahl. However, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post says in this mailbag article from earlier today that he thinks that Dahl will not see MLB time this year.

Of players not currently on the 40-man roster, in order of highest to lowest chance of being called up, Rockies top prospect Brendan Rodgers, Ryan Howard, Noel Cuevas, Cristhian Adames (you forgot about him, didn’t you?), and Rafael Ynoa are some potential additions. However, they would have to be added to the 40-man so somebody would have to be designated for assignment off the 40-man roster.

Saunders, in the same article, believes that Rodgers will be called up.

Final Thoughts

I believe that before the series with the Diamondbacks begins tomorrow night that five or less players are called up to be with the Rockies. After all, the minor league teams still have to finish out their seasons that end this weekend.

Next: Will Todd Helton make the Hall of Fame?

Both the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes and Double-A Hartford Yard Goats have been eliminated from postseason play so the Rockies will, most likely next week, calling up a decent amount of players and even a few minor league coaches (e.g. Isotopes manager and former Rockies coach Glenallen Hill). However, I think that Bud Black will just get two or so position players and two or so pitchers to start of the month.