Rockies pitching prospect Phillip Diehl, acquired via trade with Yankees, eyes a major-league debut in 2019 | The Denver Post ($)
Lefty reliever Phillip Diehl was the return for the Colorado Rockies when the team traded outfielder Mike Tauchman to the New York Yankees late in spring training. Diehl previously posted good numbers in the minor leagues for the Yankees and has shown even better in his brief time with the Rox organization. After not allowing a run in 13 1/3 innings for the Hartford Yard Goats in Double-A, Diehl was promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. Diehl, 24, told Kyle Newman of The Denver Post that his goal is to crack the big leagues at some point in the 2019 season.
Nolan Arenado, plowing through the snow, has smashed his way back among NL elite | The Athletic ($)
It was a slow start to the season for the Rockies’ offense. As was it a slow start to the season for Nolan Arenado. But Arenado has heated up lately and has found himself back in the top 10 in OPS in the National League. Nick Groke of The Athletic goes into detail on Arenado’s unwavering belief in himself and how it has helped to get the Rockies’ offense back on track.
What’s eating Kyle Freeland? | Beyond the Box Score
An unlikely source of struggle for the Rockies has been the starting rotation. Within that rotation, the most surprising area of poor performance has come from Kyle Freeland. While Freeland’s strikeout, walk and ground-ball numbers are very similar to the 2018 campaign, he is also allowing more home runs and hard contact. Some of this is attributable to bad luck (a low LOB-percentage and a high HR/FB ratio), but he has also had trouble locating his slider and getting swings and misses with the pitch. Kenny Kelly of Beyond the Box Score breaks down Freeland’s troubles.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 2, El Paso Chihuahuas 1
Double-A: Harrisburg Senators 6, Hartford Yard Goats 4
Class-A: Asheville Tourists 5, Hickory Crawdads 3
Class-A: Lancaster JetHawks 5, Modesto Nuts 4