Rockies Offseason Moves That Already Look Smart, and Dumb

One of the items on the Rockies' offseason checklist was to bolster their starting rotation. Without much uncertainty, they did just that—Michael Lorenzen, José Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano were welcomed to Coors Field after spending time in free agency. This trio provides a major boost to the rotation.

But each of these starters is only signed to one-year deals with the ballclub, so even if they excel this season, their time in Colorado could be short-lived. Nonetheless, solely focusing on the months to come, things could heat up for the Rockies on the mound.

Overall, landing this trio comes with plenty of upside. Sugano, in particular, turned heads recently after making a spring training start against the San Francisco Giants.

Now, the right-hander didn't earn many reps this spring, having only made two starts. With that said, during those two appearances, he logged a 2.45 ERA and five strikeouts across 7.1 innings pitched.

Of course, as the season gets underway, more adjustments will be made and traction will ideally be gained in the rotation, but at first glance, signing this trio was a wise move for the franchise.

A Loss That Could Quickly Cause Regret

Losing Germán Márquez wasn't ideal, but he's since found his new home with the San Diego Padres. Márquez was a veteran starter for the Rockies, but he signed as a free agent with the Padres in February.

With 10 years under his belt at Coors Field, this was a significant loss, which could end up leaving the franchise with deep regret.

During spring training, Márquez wasn't a consistent stunner on the mound, and San Diego could also be questioning their moves right now. But through five games, four of which he started, he registered a 7.16 ERA and 23 strikeouts across 16.1 innings pitched.

Sure, Colorado replenished its starting rotation, but Márquez brought irreplaceable veteran energy to a ballpark that is notorious for its pitching woes.

Not to mention, he is only 31 years old, and compared to 37-year-old Quintana, 36-year-old Sugano and 34-year-old Lorenzen, Márquez is at a stage in his career where he can bridge youthful energy with his veteran arm. Losing a younger starter may have its drawbacks.