Colorado Rockies: Jon Gray gets nod for Opening Day | Rox Pile
It has been rumored that Jon Gray, after an impressive Spring Training, would start Opening Day, but now it has officially been announced. We’re just a few days away from the first game of the season, and Jon Gray will be the focus. Tyler Anderson will follow and then German Marquez after that, but things are all the way set for the final two spots. Gray had a pretty good season last year, but the Rockies are hoping that 2018 will be injury-free and he can take another step forward.
He’ll be pitching against the Diamondbacks, a team who will likely prove to be a tough competitor within our division. This game might remind some of the conclusion of last season, and we’ll see if Gray can do what we know he can and shut down the Diamondbacks.
Ryan McMahon makes the Rockies opening day roster in a step toward the future | Denver Post ($)
The highly touted (deservedly) prospect Ryan McMahon has officially been announced as part of the Opening Day roster for the Rockies. While Ian Desmond is probably going to be the starter, McMahon will be in the dugout. This was something of a tough decision, as the Rockies could have sent McMahon to the minors to give him more at-bats. However, the Rockies saw something in him that made them decide to take a chance on him now. This is a good bet, as both Ian Desmond and Ryan McMahon have the versatility to provide the team with options.
Rockies set to begin season celebrating 25th anniversary | Denver Post ($)
In 2018, the Rockies will celebrate their 25th anniversary. This is relatively young in terms of baseball teams, but it is still definitely something to celebrate. The Rockies are hoping this might be the beginning stages of a legacy. Traditions and pride have to start somewhere, and Bud Black thinks that this even started a while back. Carlos Gonzalez, upon his return, will start his 10th season with the Rockies. This tenure is something he is proud of, and he knows that the fans are very real despite such a short existence. It’s not certain yet how the anniversary will be celebrated, but there is sure to be something special going on.
The Rockies have made several announcements finalizing what the Opening Day roster will look like. The pitching rotation is one element that still hasn’t come out, but we know that Jon Gray will start on Opening Day, Tyler Anderson will start on Friday, then German Marquez. The two other spots will probably be filled by Chad Bettis and Kyle Freeland. However, Antonio Senzatela has put up a pretty stellar performance in Spring Training. Zac Rosscup and Carlos Estevez would also be contenders, but they both are dealing with injuries that lead us to believe we’ll see the 23-year-old Senzatela with a spot on the team.
MLBTR Poll: When Will Greg Holland Sign? | MLB Trade Rumors
There’s no doubt that this offseason saw a lot of free agents waiting to sign. One of the big ones remaining is Greg Holland. Rumor had it that he would return to the Rockies, but that turned out to be a no-go. As it stands, Holland is still unsigned, and it is doubtful that he will sign before Opening Day. Even knowing this, Holland still has a good chance of getting signed by someone. He will likely individually keep up his work, and he might even be signed by the end of the week. It might even be in Holland’s strategic favor to wait for the season to start before signing with a team, as he can see how things shape up. We’ll see what Holland (and Scott Boras) end up doing.