Colorado Rockies: Chad Bettis is likely headed to bullpen

MILWAUKEE — Chad Bettis‘ rehab tour continued on Thursday with the right-hander starting in Triple-A. The Colorado Rockies were encouraged by his health, given that the 29-year-old has been shelved with a blister on his throwing hand since July 1.

His most recent start for Albuquerque featured six innings of two earned runs over 95 pitches. It was the third time the Colorado Rockies veteran pitcher took the the hill for the Isotopes and the first time he pitched more than four innings. Part of what was costing him length in game situations was uncooperative weather.

Now what’s interesting is that he still is starting and part of this is to increase length, no matter the role he plays when rejoining the Major League club. However, the hints lean towards him working as a reliever when he returns to Colorado.

Bettis has worked out of the bullpen before. After his first eight games in the show were starts, he switched over to relieving and finished the 2013 season with eight appearances out of the bullpen. He spent 2014 exclusively as a reliever while at the Major League level and wasn’t transitioned back to starting until he was demoted at the end of that season.

Since then, he has made just on appearance as a reliever and that was in Double-A Hartford while he worked to regain his strength following his successful war against cancer.

However, his time at the end of 2013 and during the 2014 season when he was a reliever did not go well. In fact, he could be the very well be the worst reliever in franchise history.

In 31.2 innings of work, he had a 9.09 ERA, 1.989 WHIP and opponents slashed .367/.425/.583 off of him. His ERA is the worst in Rockies history among relievers who have thrown at least 30 innings, as is his left on base percentage. Though it doesn’t count against his ERA, six of the 12 runners who were on when he entered scored.

He was really bad.

He was also pretty young.

So why would he move back to the bullpen?

In his recent absence, Colorado’s staff pieced together a healthy ERA of 3.16, the best for a single month in franchise history. That included an ERA of 1.71 from the starters at Coors Field.

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All five starters have been great and may have more flash than Bettis, although he has been good for the Rockies with a career record of 29-22 with a 4.76 ERA as a starter. The last time he was fully healthy for a season — 2016 — he was terrific. This year hasn’t gone as well but he’s been dealing with blister on and off.

The role he could play is needed as the Rockies haven’t had a solid long guy since last year when Chris Rusin was last right. Bettis would be somebody Bud Black is more confident handing the ball off to than rookie Yency Almonte. Bettis would no doubt bolster the bullpen if he could overcome those past demons.

There are some good reasons why the Rockies would send Bettis to the ‘pen but it’s key to remember his struggles and that they may pop up once more. Nevertheless, he’s a much more experienced pitcher than he was back then and his veteran savvy may be all that it takes for him to be a key contributor for the Rockies in a unique bullpen role.