Colorado Rockies: Five things we still don't know about Opening Day

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DENVER, COLORADO – AUGUST 01: Pitcher Tyler Kinley #40 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on August 01, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

There are some things that we already know will happen 10 days from now when the Colorado Rockies take on the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on April 1.

However, there are a lot of things that we don’t yet know heading into the final week or so of spring training games. There are five mainy things to keep an eye on in the final leg of spring training for the Rockies.

1) Will the Rockies have a 13- or 14-man pitching staff?

There are a few things that we have learned about the makeup of the bullpen in recent days but we still do not know whether or not the Rockies will carry a 13- or 14-man pitching staff.

It will hinge on a few different things. Will Tyler Kinley be ready for the regular season? Will they option Kinley to the alternate training site because he has a minor league option when many other guys don’t? Will Scott Oberg be ready for Opening Day? Will the Rockies ride with Carlos Estevez and Jairo Diaz in the bullpen despite their troubles? Will the Rockies carry a long-reliever?

Will Antonio Senzatela be ready for Opening Day? If not, do the Rockies want to carry four starters to start the season since they don’t need a fifth starter until April 10? Will the team decide to carry Greg Bird on their roster? Will they give up on Yonathan Daza?

All of those decisions will factor into whether or not their carry 13 or 14 pitchers on their 26-man roster. That will be a decision that the club will make at late as possible, according to manager Bud Black.

GLENDALE, AZ – MARCH 01: Ben Bowden #61of the Colorado Rockies bats during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on March 1, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images) /

2) Will the Rockies carry a left-handed reliever in the bullpen?

The Rockies optioned Philip Diehl and Ryan Rolison on Monday so neither of them will make the Rockies Opening Day roster. However, manager Bud Black indicated on Monday that the Rockies are still looking at Ben Bowden and Lucas Gilbreath for the Opening Day roster.

Neither one of them have made their MLB debuts but the Rockies are still looking at them to make their bullpen on Opening Day.

This could also hinge on the first question: Will the Rockies have a 13- or 14-man pitching staff?

3) Who will be the Opening Day starter for the Rockies?

We suspect that the Rockies Opening Day starter will be German Marquez but the Rockies are one of 14 teams (as of Monday night) that have not officially named their Opening Day starter.

The Rockies opponent on Opening Day, the Dodgers, are one of the 16 teams that has named their Opening Day starter.

For the Rockies, it almost assuredly will be German Marquez since he was their Opening Day starter last year and he had, arguably, the best season of the four guaranteed starters (Antonio Senzatela included, even if he’s not ready for Opening Day) but since the Rockies haven’t officially named an Opening Day starter, that is still a mystery.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Garrett Hampson #1 of the Colorado Rockies looks on before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 23, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

4) Who will be the Rockies Opening Day center fielder?

The center field battle has been between Sam Hilliard and Garrett Hampson and, as of this publication, it looks like the Rockies aren’t going to give the spot to someone everyday. Rather, it will be a platoon situation with Sam Hilliard facing the right-handers and Garrett Hampson facing the left-handers.

For that reason, since Clayton Kershaw, a lefty, will toe the slab for the Dodgers, it will presumably be Hampson. However, things could change in the next week or so. Who knows? The Rockies may decide to ride with the hot hand in Yonathan Daza.

5) Will Ryan McMahon play second or third base on Opening Day?

In the wake of the Brendan Rodgers injury, the Rockies could look to move Ryan McMahon over to second base to start the season. If that happens, the Rockies would then go with Josh Fuentes at third base. If the Rockies decide to keep Ryan McMahon at third base, though, the Rockies could use Garrett Hampson at second base (if he’s not in center field) or use Chris Owings at second base?

Even further, with Kershaw on the mound, could the Rockies decide to keep McMahon out of the lineup on Opening Day in favor of Josh Fuentes and Chris Owings (both right-handed hitters) at third and second base?

Next. Five Rockies that could be first-time All-Stars in 2021. dark

There are going to be plenty of decisions and, perhaps, a few surprises on the 26-man Opening Day roster but, especially in the month of April, the Rockies will do plenty of toying around with the roster that will, once and for all, prove whether or not the Rockies have been a fluke in the past couple of years or whether they are as they have played.

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Colorado Rockies: Five things we still don’t know about Opening Day

1) Will the Rockies have a 13- or 14-man pitching staff?

2) Will the Rockies carry a left-handed reliever in the bullpen?

3) Who will be the Opening Day starter for the Rockies?

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4) Who will be the Rockies Opening Day center fielder?

5) Will Ryan McMahon play second or third base on Opening Day?

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