Colorado Rockies: 3 pitchers who could be “X factors” in 2020

When the signing of Tyler Kinley was announced during the most recent Winter Meetings in San Diego, Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich made it clear that the 29-year-old right-hander had been on Colorado’s radar for some time. You can read his comments and see more about Kinley in this article we wrote the day the signing was made public.

Colorado Rockies

While Pazos saw his numbers improve when he reached the Major League level, Kinley had mixed reviews last season as he moved back and forth between the Miami Marlins and Triple-A New Orleans.

Kinley went 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 52 games for Miami, while, in Triple-A, he logged a 1.72 ERA in 14 games while opponents hit .082 against him and he posted a 0.70 WHIP with seven walks in 15.2 innings. The number of walks spiked during his MLB stint as he surrendered 36 in 49.1 innings.

Kinley, however, dazzled in spring training for the Rockies in March, scattering two hits over six innings while striking out six and walking two. The effort from Kinley in games and in preparation on the side fields drew praise from Nolan Arenado.

Last season, Kinley finished 13 games for the Marlins. Could he see some late-inning action for the Rockies in 2020? With a condensed schedule, the more reliable options available to the Rockies in close games, the better. Kinley could be just that in 2020.