Colorado Rockies: Yency Almonte, Tyler Kinley have bolstered depleted Rox bullpen

1 of 3

DENVER, COLORADO – AUGUST 01: Pitcher Yency Almonte #62 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on August 01, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

With both closer Wade Davis and set-up man Scott Oberg recently going on the injured list, two glaring holes quickly needed to be filled in the Colorado Rockies bullpen.

If the opening 12 games of this coronavirus-shortened season is any indication, the Colorado Rockies could have a pair of young relievers—right-handers Yency Almonte and Tyler Kinley, who have combined for just more than one year of Major League service time—could have integral roles in the future success of the depleted bullpen staff and, in turn, the Rockies season.

On Thursday in the Rox series finale with San Francisco at Coors Field, Almonte earned his first Major League win with one inning of relief (two hits, one run allowed) as Colorado rallied to defeat the Giants 6-4, thanks in big part to a five-run eighth inning.

The outing Thursday for the 26-year-old from Miami, Florida., followed his picking up another first—his initial big league save—Tuesday night by tossing a scoreless final 1.2 innings in relief of starter German Marquez in Colorado’s 5-2 victory against San Francisco at Coors Field.

Almonte’s performance included inducing a pair of double-play grounders, one in the eighth inning and the other in the ninth, to help the Rockies to their fourth straight win at the time.

In five games this season, Almonte has now retired 21 of 26 batters and has permitted just five hits and two runs for a nifty 2.35 earned run average. He has struck out nine and not issued a walk in 7.2 innings while showing the ability to endure on the mound as three of his five appearances have been for more than an inning in length.

DENVER, CO – JULY 4: Yency Almonte #62 of the Colorado Rockies pitches from the mound during Major League Baseball Summer Workouts at Coors Field on July 4, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

A converted starter, he was moved to the bullpen and credits help from some of the experienced Rox relievers for the quality numbers he has posted on the mound this season.

“I feel like last year I learned a lot from the older guys and just saw how they went about their business,“ Almonte told Rox Pile’s Kevin Henry on Wednesday after Almonte notched his first save a night earlier. “I kind of picked up some things from them and that has helped me out to be successful for this year.”

Entering 2020, Almonte certainly was a wild card for the Rockies having accrued just 0.168 years of MLB service time with Colorado since debuting with the team in 2018 when he posted a 1.84 ERA in limited action.

In his two previous seasons with the Rockies, he had made just 42 appearances with 28 of those outings coming a year ago when he went 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA.

Meanwhile, Kinley has not been scored upon nor has he surrendered a hit in five relief appearances this season, spanning 4.1 innings. He has amassed six strikeouts and a pair of walks in those outings.

The 29-year-old from Plantation, Florida., was claimed off waivers by the Rockies in December 2019 and joined the Rockies after previous MLB stints with Minnesota (2018) and Miami (2019). He has accrued just 1.014 years of MLB service time entering 2020.

Kinley amassed 65 appearances between the Twins and Marlins before coming to Colorado. With Miami a year ago, he saw relief action in 52 games, posting a 3-1 record and 3.45 ERA, including just a 2.19 ERA in his final 27 appearances.

DENVER, COLORADO – AUGUST 05: Pitcher Tyler Kinley #40 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on August 05, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

More from Rox Pile

One Rox player who has seen the impact of both Almonte and Kinley up close this season, as well as the remainder of the Rockies pitching staff, is starting catcher Tony Wolters.

“We definitely miss Wade and Oby (Oberg),” Wolters said Wednesday night following a 4-3 loss to the Giants that snapped the Rockies four-game winning streak in a contest in which Kinley whiffed one in a scoreless seventh inning.

“Hopefully, they will be back soon. Our guys know that they need to step up.…Our whole staff, they are out there doing early work, getting ready, being prepared, knowing what they are going to be facing before they get on the mound. They are competitive.”

Added Wolters: “Our bullpen right now is in a good spot, a good mental spot of just ‘I am going out there being pitch to pitch. I am going to execute and get off the mound and get us to go hit and get Nolan and Charlie up as much as possible.’“

dark. Next. Nolan Arenado on his success against the Giants

If Almonte and Kinley can continue to perform at the levels that they have shown, the duo should help give Arenado and Blackmon and the remainder of the Rox offense plenty of opportunities to score runs for the remainder of the season while bolstering the team’s bullpen corps.

Home / Colorado Rockies News

With both closer Wade Davis and set-up man Scott Oberg recently going on the injured list, two glaring holes quickly needed to be filled in the Colorado Rockies bullpen.

More from Rox Pile

Schedule