Colorado Rockies roster: Predicting their Opening Day roster

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Rockies relievers (8): Daniel Bard, Scott Oberg, Yency Almonte, Carlos Estevez, Jairo Diaz, Mychal Givens, Ben Bowden, and Robert Stephenson.

The Rockies bullpen will look to improve upon being one of the worst in franchise and baseball history, in general, in 2020.

The biggest bright spot was Daniel Bard and he or Scott Oberg (if he is ready for the season) will be the team’s closer. Oberg has to a) be ready and b) stay healthy, though.

Yency Almonte was great in 2020 but it was his first season that he was entirely in the majors. He will still need to prove that he can repeat that in a full season in 2021.

Carlos Estevez and Jairo Diaz are, perhaps, the two biggest wild cards in the bullpen. Neither have options and neither of them has been consistent. They can be good (3.75 and 4.53 ERA’s in 2019) or terrible (both had ERA’s of 7.50 or higher in 2020).

Mychal Givens was great in Baltimore but he was not good once the Rockies acquired him last season. Call it Coors, call it inconsistency, call it whatever you like, but he will need to be more consistent for the Rockies in 2021. He’s a free agent at the end of the season so if he pitches well and the Rockies don’t play well in 2021, he will likely be traded at the trade deadline.

Ben Bowden is a guy that seems like he has been in the Rockies system for a long time. And, frankly, unless they put Austin Gomber in the bullpen, he is their best left-hander despite his 5.88 ERA in Albuquerque in 2019. He didn’t pitch in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season. The only other left the Rockies have is Philip Diehl, who has not proved himself in the majors at all but perhaps, he may make the team if he has a good Spring Training.

Robert Stephenson will likely be the Rockies long-reliever, essentially, replacing the guy who the Rockies traded for him: Jeff Hoffman.

Since all but Bowden (or Diehl) and Bard don’t have options, Tyler Kinley (who has two options) would be on the outside, looking in as would Rule V draft pick, Jordan Sheffield, who would have to be designated for assignment (losing his 40-man roster spot), not be claimed, and offered back to the Dodgers. If all of that goes through without anybody claiming him, he could then remain in the Rockies organization.

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