Colorado Rockies (-10)
Weren’t the Rockies supposed to have an elite bullpen? Based on the money they poured into it by signing Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw, and Jake McGee last offseason, that’s correct. They all had disappointing years (to varying degrees) and their best reliever, Adam Ottavino, now pitches for the Yankees, so there’s that.
Davis did register 43 saves in 2018, which was the third consecutive year he set a new single-season career-high mark in that department. It’s the other stuff that was an issue, though. The right-hander watched his strikeout rate dip down to 29.9% while his walk rate (10.0%) stayed above double digits for the second straight year. He’s also watched his hard-hit rate allowed increase each season since 2015 (17.6% to 22.7% to 29.5% to 33.5%).
One of Davis’ hallmarks since converting to a full-time reliever has been getting ahead in counts early. Between from 2014 and 2017, he posted a first-pitch strike rate above 58.0% on three different occasions. With Colorado in 2018, that number settled in at a career-low 49.4% clip. And now that he has a full year of pitching at altitude under his belt, he’ll hopefully improve upon his 4.73 Coors Field ERA from last season (3.55 on the road).
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