Colorado Rockies: A six-man rotation or Austin Gomber to the bullpen?

MILWAUKEE — Entering the unofficial second half of the season, the Colorado Rockies debated using a six-man rotation. Antonio Senzatela was activated off the 15-day IL before the start of the series with the Milwaukee Brewers. They already optioned reliever Ty Blach back to Triple-A Albuquerque so it was something for them to consider.

After all, they have Senzatela, Kyle Freeland, Germán Márquez, Chad Kuhl, Austin Gomber, and José Ureña as starting pitching options. Ureña was the fifth starter but even in just three starts, his 1.1 rWAR is second-highest among the starting pitchers and eighth-highest on the team overall.

So before Friday’s second-half opener against the Brewers, Rockies manager Bud Black revealed his plans to the media, including Rox Pile.

Rockies pitcher Austin Gomber will head back to the bullpen

Bud Black revealed that the Colorado Rockies will send Austin Gomber back to the bullpen, at least in the interim.

Gomber, 28, has a 5-7 record on the season with a 5.97 ERA in 18 games (16 starts). This will be his second stint in the bullpen. He was there in late June but the Rockies moved him back into the rotation by July 2. In his four starts since returning, he averaged just over 5 1/3 innings per start with a 4.15 ERA.

But with him going back to the bullpen, the Rockies will once again have two lefties in the bullpen (Gomber and Lucas Gilbreath).

For the rest of the Milwaukee series, Jose Ureña will start on Saturday, Chad Kuhl will go on Sunday, and Kyle Freeland will go on Monday.

The Rockies will have a tough stretch of games to start the second half of the season as they will face teams at or above .500 in 21 of their first 27 games. The only six games not against teams at or above .500 will be against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

To get back to the elusive .500, they will have to go 9-2 against the Brewers, White Sox, Dodgers, and one game against the Padres before the trade deadline.

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