Colorado Rockies: 3 things that will make or break September

Get the timely hits

It’s no secret that Colorado struggled to score last month and get the hit when runners were in scoring position. After batting .297 in July, the Rockies dipped to .269 last month, its lowest month for average since April. It also saw dips in OBP (.350 to .347), OPS (.490 to .444) and OPS (.840 to .791). After scoring 148 runs in July, Colorado plated a season-low 117 in August.

In Colorado’s last 22 games of August, the Rockies scored more than three runs on just seven occasions. That simply has to change.

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Colorado lived and died by the long ball last month. The 35 home runs hit were the most since the team blasted 36 in April. However, there were just three triples among the 245 total hits as Colorado struggled to find its offensive rhythm.

So there are plenty of doom and gloom statistics above. But here’s the thing to remember: Colorado is still tied (along with the Washington Nationals) with the second-best team batting average with runners in scoring position this season (.297). With two outs and runners in scoring position, the Rockies are the best in the National League this season at .293. That’s even with the struggles last month. It proves that Colorado batters have come through in the big situations before August. It also shows the team has the capability to do it again.

Rediscover its swagger on the mound

Any Colorado Rockies fan knows the team has struggled with its pitching in recent years. However, things seemed to be turning a corner early this season. Colorado needs to go back to that confidence it had before the All-Star break.

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Colorado’s pitching has deteriorated since the All-Star Game in Miami. Before the All-Star break, the Rockies were 52-39 and had a team 4.45 ERA. Since then, the Rockies are 20-22 with a 4.94 ERA. That extra half of a run has dropped them to 26^th in Major League Baseball during that time.

Some of that struggle can be pointed directly to closer Greg Holland, who went 1-4 with a 13.50 ERA in August. He allowed home runs in three of his final appearances of the month and walked six batters over 9.1 innings as he converted just three of six save opportunities.

Colorado manager Bud Black has insisted that Holland is his closer. There will likely be plenty of opportunities for Holland to prove himself in the clutch as this month kicks off. If Holland can return to form as Black outwardly proclaims he can, Colorado’s late-inning confidence will skyrocket again. That’s a very necessary component in a month where every pitch will be magnified in importance.

Find the right mix

September 1 means that the Rockies can call up players from its 40-man roster and increase the amount of weapons at its disposal in the bullpen and on the bench. Players like Ryan McMahon, Jordan Patterson, Raimel Tapia (once his 10-day window to be recalled is reopened after he was sent down to Triple-A on August 29) and others will have the opportunity to make their presence felt.

However, does this mean these players get more playing time and take over some of the at-bats for Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story, who have both struggled for the majority of the season, or Mark Reynolds, who is 5-for-27 since August 20? Not necessarily. Black has shown that he is unlikely to make major lineup or roster changes unless they are injury-related. But, with a wider range of options, Black could well use more pinch hitters and pinch runners in certain situations.

The roster expansion also brings some fresh arms into the bullpen, meaning a Zac Rosscup or Carlos Estevez could be called up and brought in to face one batter if needed. With more arms in the bullpen, the abilities for Black to mix and match depending on the situation are limitless.

Next: Our exclusive chat with Jon Gray about the month ahead

Colorado will have a mix of veteran players and newcomers for its stretch run. One of the newcomers could well provide a spark that could make the difference in a critical game this month. Don’t be surprised if that happens.