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Colorado Rockies: The six players under the most pressure in 2019

By Kevin Henry

ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 17: Bryan Shaw #29 of the Colorado Rockies leaves the mound after pitching against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on June 17, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers won 13-12. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 17: Bryan Shaw #29 of the Colorado Rockies leaves the mound after pitching against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on June 17, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers won 13-12. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /
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Jeff Hoffman of the Colorado Rockies
DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 6: Relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman #34 of the Colorado Rockies delivers to home plate during the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on September 6, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

Jeff Hoffman
2018 stats: 0-0, 9.35 ERA, 2.538 WHIP (8.2 MLB innings)

One of the key pieces of the 2015 trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays, Hoffman gave up five runs, three walks and two hits in a 12-2 loss to the New York Mets on June 18. In his final appearance of the season on July 13 (and also his lone start), Hoffman surrendered three runs and eight hits in 3.1 innings to the Seattle Mariners.

To say it was an underwhelming season for the 25-year-old right-hander is putting it lightly. Coming off a 2017 where he went 6-5 with a 5.89 ERA with 16 starts, Hoffman took a step backwards in 2018. Now the question is … can we move in the right direction this season?

"“He’s got that sort of ability, he’s got that pitch mix, he’s got the (velocity), he’s got the durability,” Bridich told Rox Pile and other media members in Las Vegas. “But it needs to happen. And he has to look no further than the people who’ve been around him the most.”"

That includes pitchers like Freeland and Marquez, who have impressed at the same age as Hoffman or even younger.

Hoffman could contend for a spot in the rotation with a strong spring. He could also find himself quickly back at Triple-A if he can’t pull his skills together. Now in his fourth full season in the Rockies system, will Hoffman put the pieces together?

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