Colorado Rockies: Two more roster cuts pare spring roster to 33

According to Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post, the Colorado Rockies have made two more roster cuts from their Major League spring training roster to cut it down to 33.

Per Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post, the Colorado Rockies have cut catcher Chris Rabago and right-handed pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez from their spring training roster.

Saunders also reports that Rockies manager Bud Black has still not named an Opening Day starter for next week yet but Kyle Freeland is lining up for it.

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Rabago, 25, took part in 12 games in major league camp for the Rockies and he hit .143/.250/.286 in only 7 at-bats so he was mainly a late-game defensive replacement.

Gonzalez, 27, had a rough spring training as a non-roster invitee for the Rockies as he went 0-2 with an ERA of 8.71 in 3 games (all starts). In 5 2/3 innings, he allowed 10 hits, seven runs (six earned), a .400 opponent batting average, and a 2.12 WHIP.

Neither one of them were projected to make the Rockies roster. For Gonzalez, it was partially because his spring stats but also their weren’t any spots up for grabs in the Rockies rotation. For Rabago, he has at least 3 other catchers ahead of him on the depth chart with Chris Iannetta, Tom Murphy, and Tony Wolters vying for the two catcher spots on the 25-man roster.

Opening Day Starter

I think that the Rockies Opening Day starter has to be Freeland. Considering how he was the Rockies ace last season by how he pitched and how the left-hander has pitched this spring training, in my mind, there’s really no other option.

I think that it will be more of a battle to see how the rotation will be. If you check MLB.com’s depth chart, the starting pitcher depth chart has Freeland at the top followed by German Marquez, Tyler Anderson, Jon Gray, and Chad Bettis. Personally, I think that it will probably look like that with the possible exception of a switch with Anderson and Gray. Antonio Senzatela will not be in the rotation with his foot injury likely landing him on the injured list.

Once he comes back, I think that the Rockies rotation will be shaken up.