Colorado Rockies morning after: A costly bullpen decision that raises even more questions

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DENVER, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER 17: Pitcher Carlos Estevez #54 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 17, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black turned to Carlos Estevez in the 7th inning of a tie game and it cost the Rockies dearly.

The Colorado Rockies offense did not have a banner night on Thursday as they only scored three runs in the team’s 9-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first of their four-game series, continuing their offensive woes that have been all too apparent in 2020 and, frankly, for the past few seasons.

After scoring two runs in the first inning, the offense did not have a hit again until the 7th inning, when Kevin Pillar singled. In the 8th inning, Trevor Story homered but by the time both hits occurred, the game was long out of reach.

The game was still tied at 2 entering the 7th inning. Kyle Freeland was at 85 pitches and he retired the first batter of the inning on just one pitch.

But up came Kiké Hernandez. On a 2-1 changeup down-and-away, Hernandez doubled to center field, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position.

Left-handed hitter Edwin Rios comes up and he walks on six pitches (none of the six were particularly close to the zone but Rios swung and missed at two balls). Two on and one out, 96 pitches for Freeland, and Bud Black goes to the bullpen and he goes to Carlos Estevez, who has an ERA of 6.75 on the season and a staggering ERA of 20.25 in his last seven games (5 1/3 innings, 13 hits, 12 runs, an opponent slash line of .448/.484/.931, allowing at least one run in five of the seven outings).

Estevez hasn’t pitched in three days so Bud Black decides to bring him in to face former MVP Mookie Betts.

DENVER, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER 17: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 17, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The Rockies manager didn’t think Freeland was throwing as well as he did earlier.

After the game, Bud Black described the situation leading up to removing Freeland from the game when he spoke with the media, including Rox Pile.

“At that point, Kyle started to hit a wall,” said Black. “His stuff wasn’t as crisp–I think–as that inning unfolded. He ended the sixth [inning] with two strikeouts [so] he looked good. After the inning, he said ‘I can give you one more [inning],’ and I said ‘Great, you’re throwing fine,” but during that inning, I thought that he just lost a little zip on his fastball. I think when he walked [Edwin] Rios, the lefty, I think that was a sign to take (Freeland) out. “[With Betts coming to bat] against Kyle, approaching 100 pitches when I thought his stuff was, maybe, not as crisp as it was earlier in the game, I thought that was not a great matchup so we went with Carlos [Estevez], who had three days of rest, who’s been throwing with good velocity of late–I think you saw that today, up to 98, 99–I thought that was a good matchup against Betts but he hung a slider on the 0-1 pitch and from there, it sort of unraveled.”

As Black mentioned, two pitches in and Estevez gives up the lead. Okay, he inherits two runners on and one out. The chance that a run will score is fairly high. But two pitches later, another run scores. Two more pitches later, another run scores on a wild pitch.

Justin Turner strikes out after the wild pitch but Max Muncy walks on six pitches and three pitches later, Will Smith doubles in two runs, making it 7-2 Dodgers. The Rockies have to burn another reliever in Jairo Diaz and, frankly, the game is over already.

However, Diaz walks Cody Bellinger, Tony Wolters allows two passed balls in the same AB to Chris Taylor, who draws a bases-loaded walk on the final passed ball, and the game is completely out of reach at 8-2.

Black said that he did consider Betts and Freeland’s past history (Betts is 0-for-8 against Freeland in his career) but Black said that “there were some good swings [from Betts] in that 0-for-8, for sure, but I think it was more about where Kyle was physically more than anything.”

Black also pointed out that Betts was 0-for-3 against Estevez before he delivered what ended up being the game-winning hit.

Black said that he thinks that a “big part” of Estevez’s problems lately have been pitch location.

So, why Carlos Estevez?

Even with Betts not faring well against Estevez, why didn’t Bud Black turn to one of his most reliable relievers in 2020 or the club’s trade deadline acquistion: Yency Almonte and Mychal Givens? They haven’t pitched since Sunday and last Friday, after all, so they should be available.

But, seemingly, neither one of them were.

“[Givens] and Almonte are both getting closer to returning,” said Black. You notice, both of those guys haven’t pitched in a while but, again, I tried to give those guys another day [off] but they’re part of our bullpen when we have a lead but they’ve been down for a few days.”

Now the question is this: Why are Givens and Almonte not available in a tie game in the 7th inning in the first game of a four-game series against your biggest rival at home in a series that could make or break your season, that is already on the precipice of being over?

Are they injured? Are they having some other issues that we don’t know about? Or did Bud Black really want to give each of them another day off, when they had three and five days of rest entering the game (meaning they should not be tired)?

Some of those reasons are understandable. Some are not.

The Rockies missing the playoffs in 2020 could prove twice as costly. dark. Next

Now, with the loss, the Rockies find themselves behind four teams for the final National League Playoff spot: the Phillies (who have the final spot), the Cardinals, Brewers, and Mets. Only two games separate the four teams but the Rockies, with the way they have been playing lately, do not look like a team that should be anywhere near the playoffs, even with it being expanded to 16 teams.

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Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black turned to Carlos Estevez in the 7th inning of a tie game and it cost the Rockies dearly.

The Rockies manager didn’t think Freeland was throwing as well as he did earlier.

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So, why Carlos Estevez?