The Colorado Rockies, their pitching philosophy, and how their recent additions fit

Chad Kuhl and Alex Colomé both fit in with the Colorado Rockies in a way

Starting with Chad Kuhl, though his fastball release height is slightly lower than average, his fastball generates 15 percent less vertical break than the average MLB 4-seamer.

Despite this, the Pirates still had Kuhl locate up in the zone with frequency, a contributing factor to a .333 average against his heater.

With the Rockies, it’s likely Kuhl will locate lower in the zone, where his fastball profiles better.

Kuhl backs up his fastball with a high 80s slider that has been very effective throughout his career. An optimized pairing of his main two pitches could have a significant impact on Kuhl’s overall success and turn him into a viable 5th starter.

Alex Colomé is a pretty unique pitcher. He only features a cutter and four-seam fastball.

His cutter operates somewhat like a weak moving but harder slider, creating his fit with the Rockies (pending his command remains consistent, unlike former Rockies’ reliever Bryan Shaw).

Colomé’s fastball actually does create an above-average vertical break, but it comes from a higher release point, keeping his VAA from being too flat and able to effectively play lower in the zone.

The longtime standout closer doesn’t have as sensical of a fit with Colorado as Kuhl but it appears his cutter drew the attention of the Rockies.

Overall, the Rockies seem to have a firm strategy when it comes to pitching at altitude. This should leave fans confident in the future of Colorado’s pitching and dispel the national narrative that the Rockies lack the ability to pitch.

It’s always important to remember that pitching goes far beyond data and statistics, though they still often tell an important part of the story.