Colorado Rockies: 3 things that will make or break September

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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 19: Greg Holland #56 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after allowing a go-ahead two run homerun in the ninth inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on August 19, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

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.

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