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Colorado Rockies: Checking on their NL West foes’ pitching rotations

By Colin Gaiser

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 03: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the first inning at AT&T Park on September 3, 2017 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 03: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the first inning at AT&T Park on September 3, 2017 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Joey Lucchesi #37 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PETCO Park on September 30, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Joey Lucchesi #37 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PETCO Park on September 30, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

San Diego Padres

2018 Starters: 5.09 ERA (27th), 4.71 FIP, 5.07 innings/game

Key additions: Garrett Richards

Key subtractions: Clayton Richard

Current depth chart: Joey Lucchesi, Eric Lauer, Robbie Erlin, Jacob Nix, Chris Paddack, Bryan Mitchell, Brett Kennedy

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The Blue Jays acquired Clayton Richard (who had the most 2018 starts in San Diego with 27) and Friars faithful are probably relieved – Richard had a woeful 5.33 ERA and ratio of 1.8 strikeouts-per-walk. The only external acquisition was Garrett Richards from the Angels, who has great stuff but is coming off Tommy John surgery and will possibly make his Padres debut later this season.

So, the Padres will suffer through another year of subpar starting pitching. Joey Lucchessi had an acceptable rookie campaign – 4.08 ERA, 4.31 FIP and a 26.5 percent strikeout rate – but he is hardly inspiring as the number-one guy in the rotation. Then there’s Jacob Nix (another rookie) who was mostly dreadful in his nine starts last year – 7.02 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and a 4.5 K/9 rate, the lowest of any NL pitcher who threw at least 40 innings.

Eric Lauer might be more promising. His introduction to the big leagues was rough – 7.67 ERA and .408 BABIP in his first seven starts – but Lauer posted a 3.17 ERA and .301 BABIP in his final 16 starts. According to Baseball Prospectus, Lauer mixed in a cutter and changed the grip on his slider, giving him a “more well-rounded arsenal that gives hitters a greater variety of looks to stew over.” He could end up at the top of the depth chart later on.

But the Padres finished with a very different rotation in 2018 than they started with – heck, Jordan Lyles made eight starts for them – and we can expect the same in 2019. San Diego has a tremendous farm system which could send some younger arms into the mix, especially as the team hopes to break out in upcoming seasons. Chris Paddack is impressing in the Cactus League and could quickly crack the rotation, possibly being an Opening Day starter.

Sure, this rotation won’t be scary in 2019. But the Padres might give us glimpses of a very promising future – another reason why the Rockies need to get everything they can out of their current contention window.

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