5 reasons why the Colorado Rockies will not be a playoff contender

The Colorado Rockies have to have about 10 players step up big time

The Colorado Rockies believe that their players have the potential to be All-Stars or close to All-Stars. In 2022, they have to show it for the team to be a playoff contender. Here are some (not even all but just some) of the returning players that have to step up.

Ryan McMahon has had the same exact OPS (.779) in the last two full seasons. He has to be closer to .850 (really, even higher) for the Rockies to take a step further offensively.

Charlie Blackmon can’t have a slugging percentage of .411. They need him to be around where he was in 2018 (.506 SLG).

Elias Díaz has to maintain what he did from June through the rest of the season.

Brendan Rodgers has to be healthy for a full season and produce at least at the level he did in 2021 (102 OPS+).

Sam Hilliard has to be able to get on base at least at a .320 clip, not .287 as he has since the start of 2020. He also can’t be hitting .213. He needs to hit .250/.320/.450 in the lineup to get an everyday day job.

Connor Joe had an OPS+ of 117 in 211 plate appearances (179 ABs). Can he do that over a full season?

Germán Márquez has to become an ace. An ace is not a pitcher with a 4.40 ERA, a 108 ERA+, and an ERA of 6.12 after the All-Star break.

Márquez was the only Rockies starter to make 30+ starts for them. He, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, and Austin Gomber have to make 120+ starts for the team.

Health, in general, is something that the rotation and team will have to have because they don’t have the depth to weather it.

The Rockies can control their destiny in 2022 but it will take a lot to get to the playoffs. Teams like the Dodgers make it look easy but it is never easy to make it to the playoffs and the Rockies won’t make the playoffs if they don’t do these five things.