Rockies sign pitchers who want to pitch at Coors Field

The Colorado Rockies signed Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano and Jose Quintana as part of an offseason plan to recruit pitchers willing to pitch at Coors Field, and team president Paul DePodesta says the club will rethink its pitching approach, including how pitches are called.

The Rockies entered the offseason after a 43-119 record and prioritized signing pitchers who openly wanted to pitch at Coors Field. The team added Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano and Jose Quintana and installed new front-office and coaching leadership under Paul DePodesta and Alon Leichman. The club says it will rethink how it approaches pitching at altitude, including changes to pitch-calling and strategy. Those roster and staff moves are being framed as the start of a larger reset. Key facts: - Colorado finished 43-119 last season and had one of the league's highest team ERAs. - The Rockies signed Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano and Jose Quintana and invested roughly $19.1 million in three experienced starters for 2026. - Paul DePodesta is leading a change in pitching strategy and has emphasized not having to "sell" players on pitching at Coors Field. - The team is considering calling pitches from the dugout, influenced by new pitching coach Alon Leichman's recent usage elsewhere. - Last season the rotation averaged about 4 2/3 innings per start and a 6.65 ERA, figures the new staff intends to address. Summary: The signings and staffing changes signal a deliberate shift toward recruiting pitchers who accept the challenge of Coors Field and toward new tactical approaches to pitching at altitude. Forecasts still project modest win totals, and the practical effects of the changes will become clearer as the season unfolds. Undetermined at this time.