
The Colorado Rockies left a significant number of fans disappointed this offseason due to their lack of aggression in free agency and the trade market. Spring training is off to a shaky start for the ballclub, except for Saturday's 11-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, but there is a glimmer of hope that lingers.
As expected, pitching remains the largest area of concern for the Rockies, but given how difficult it is to pitch at Coors Field to begin with, this isn't a major surprise. However, there's room for improvemment there, and the bullpen should be a priority.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Seth Halvorsen, Victor Vodnik, Jimmy Hegert and Juan Mejia are all on board, but Colorado should consider adding more depth for these key players. A reunion with one of their former relievers could be the missing piece.
Southpaw relief pitcher Jalen Beeks tends to be an under-the-radar player, who spent one year with the Rockies back in 2024—a season split with the Pittsburgh Pirates. While in Colorado, the 32-year-old registered a 4.74 ERA and 38 strikeouts across 49.1 innings pitched through 45 games.
In July 2024, he was traded to the Pirates in exchange for Luis Peralta. From there, he spent the remainder of the campaign in Pittsburgh, but eventually signed with the Houston Astros as a free agent. That was short-lived, however, as they released him 12 days later.
He then landed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he played for the entire 2025 season, logging a 3.77 ERA and 47 strikeouts across 57.1 innings pitched through 61 games, two of which he started.
Beeks certainly isn't the most notable reliever in the Major Leagues right now, but he could be exactly what the Rockies are wanting and needing. Not to mention, he already has familiarity with the ballclub and knows what it's like to take the mound at Coors Field.
Colorado has a handful of highly skilled arms on deck, both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen, but this is an area that can never use too much depth. Considering how extensive their pitching woes were in 2025, the ballclub should be looking to be proactive rather than reactive, and this includes bolstering their pitching staff this spring.
Opening Day will be here in no time, and ideally, the Rockies will be more squared away at that point.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!