The Colorado Rockies announced that they’ve selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Matt Koch and he’s been moved to the active roster. This comes after right-handed pitcher Jake Bird was placed on the 15-day IL. As well as infielder Julio Carreras was designated for assignment. Koch has played for three different teams in his six-year career. With the 33-year-old pitcher in the bullpen, he hopes to provide the Rockies with stable pitching. This news comes after the Rockies won seven games in a row. After being swept by the San Francisco Giants, the Rockies knew a change had to be made. This is the second stint with the Rockies for Koch.
The Colorado Rockies announced today that they have selected the contract of RHP Matt Koch (#54) from Triple-A Albuquerque and have placed RHP Jake Bird on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 18, with right elbow inflammation. To make room on the 40-man roster, INF Julio…
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) May 19, 2024
Rockies Add Right-Handed Pitcher To The Roster
Koch was originally drafted in the third round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. He did not make his debut until 2016, however, when he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He compiled a 6-6 record through four seasons in Arizona. Back in 2022, he signed a minor-league deal with the Seattle Mariners. Not even a month later, he was designated for assignment. During the 2022 offseason, Koch signed a deal with the Colorado Rockies. He was called to the Major League roster on June 27th, 2023. In 39 appearances on the mound, the right-handed pitcher put up a 3-2 record. Through 38 and two third innings pitched, he recorded a 5.12 ERA with 27 strikeouts. He allowed 22 runs on 41 hits and 11 walks.
Is Matt Koch The Answer The Rockies Need?
With Bird on the IL, Matt Koch will provide solid middle-inning reliefs for a team that has struggled to keep games in their favor. Furthermore, if the 33-year-old pitcher expects to continue playing at the highest level, he must play his heart out and provide great relief when needed. During his four years with the Diamondbacks, Koch severely struggled as a rotation piece and in the bullpen. He recorded a 4.88 ERA in 125 and one-third innings in his four years with Arizona. Last season, Koch struck out about 16 and a half of the batters he faced. The 33-year-old limited walks to about six percent of his time on the mound while generating groundballs close to 50 percent of the time.
Matt Koch, Wicked 92mph Cutter. ✂️ pic.twitter.com/W94AH7mqik
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 9, 2023
This season is severely different from last season’s Rockies team. While the Rockies made franchise history for all the wrong reasons in 2023, this year’s Colorado team is looking to prove they’re not one of if not the worst teams in the league. It will certainly depend on how Koch plays each time he’s out on the mound. If the right-hander can get a few scoreless innings for the Rockies, the offense will have the incentive to go out and try and win. It’s a crucial part of the season for Colorado as they’ll either sink back to their usual selves or they’ll heat up and start to move ahead in a brutally tough National League West division.
