German Marquez, Colorado Rockies
While Kyle Freeland stood out for the Rockies, German Marquez’s incredible second-half performance helped propel Colorado back to the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
The right-hander’s 33.9% strikeout rate after the midsummer classic was the fourth-highest mark in baseball (second in National League). The same could be said about his 16.0% swinging-strike rate and 2.57 SIERA. Although his debut performance in 2016 lasted just 20.2 innings, the three-year trend Marquez has put together is looking more and more impressive.
Here’s a look at how he’s grown in select statistics.
I don’t think there’s a pitching coach that wouldn’t take this year-over-year improvement. He did allow hard contact at a career-worst 37.3% clip, but also managed to produce his lowest BABIP against (.311).
Pitching at Coors Field is going to give any pitcher a disadvantage, regardless of how good they are. However, Marquez has shown he has a shot at bucking the trend and contending for a Cy Young award — something a Rockies pitcher has never won.
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