{"id":107800,"date":"2025-09-29T02:15:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T06:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=107800"},"modified":"2025-09-29T02:15:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T06:15:39","slug":"recognizing-german-marquez-career-with-rockies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/29\/recognizing-german-marquez-career-with-rockies\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back on Germ\u00e1n M\u00e1rquez’s Tenure with the Rockies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following his last start of the season Saturday, Right-hander Germ\u00e1n M\u00e1rquez<\/a>‘s career with the Colorado Rockies is almost assuredly over. M\u00e1rquez has been a staple in the Colorado rotation since 2017. He came over to Colorado with reliever Jake McGee<\/a> in 2016 in the Corey Dickerson<\/a> trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. While McGee was the main return in the trade, M\u00e1rquez ended up being the gem.<\/p>\n

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Jul 20, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez (48) on the mound in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Germ\u00e1n M\u00e1rquez and Kyle Freeland Leading the Rockies’ Rotation<\/h2>\n

If it is indeed the end of M\u00e1rquez’s career in Colorado, he finished with a stellar 14.8 WAR over his 10 seasons with the Rockies. After playing just six games in his debut season in 2016, he saw his opportunity in 2017 and didn’t look back. 2017-18 was the last time the Rockies made the postseason. Both were M\u00e1rquez’s best seasons by WAR in purple. From 2017-22, (excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season), M\u00e1rquez pitched at least 162 innings in each season, including a career-high 196 in 2018.<\/p>\n

The Rockies found an excellent duo in left-hander Kyle Freeland<\/a> and M\u00e1rquez atop their rotation. 2018 was a special season<\/a> for both. Freeland and M\u00e1rquez were in their second and third seasons in Major League Baseball, respectively. The Rockies finished 91-72 and forced the Los Angeles Dodgers to a game 163 to decide the National League West. But they would not have come close without Freeland and M\u00e1rquez leading the way. Finally, the Rockies did not have to rely on outscoring their opponent every game.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Freeland and M\u00e1rquez combined for a stellar 12 WAR. Both posted career-high win totals with 17 (Freeland) and 14 (M\u00e1rquez), respectively. Freeland twirled 6 2\/3 shutout innings at Wrigley Field with six strikeouts to just one walk in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Game. In a home start in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers, M\u00e1rquez pitched five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with five Ks to one BB in a home start. But he received no run support in a 6-0 Rockies loss that ended their season. The Division Series was very disappointing, as the Rockies were outscored 13-2 in a three-game sweep. As they had done all season, Freeland and M\u00e1rquez did their part to lead the Rockies in the postseason.<\/p>\n

M\u00e1rquez’s All-Star 2021<\/h3>\n

While the Rockies have not returned to the postseason since 2018, M\u00e1rquez still had some solid seasons in Colorado. In his only career All-Star campaign, he went 12-11 with a 4.40 ERA in 180 IP across 32 starts. M\u00e1rquez led the club in wins (12), ERA (4.40), and strikeouts (176). He achieved a career-high three complete games in this special season. He has recorded only one other complete game in his career, which came in 2019. One of his complete games in 2021 is still one of the best starts all-time at Coors Field.<\/p>\n

On June 29, 2021, M\u00e1rquez came within three outs of a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was stellar, allowing only one hit with five Ks to one BB in a dominant 8-0 win. Outside of a start against the Cincinnati Reds on June 12, in which he allowed eight earned runs on 12 hits, M\u00e1rquez had an all-time month for a Rockies pitcher. In five wins covering 36 innings, M\u00e1rquez allowed just three runs on 10 hits with 27 Ks to 6 BBs. He posted two shutouts in that span, with four of those wins coming at home.<\/p>\n

This stellar month cemented M\u00e1rquez’s All-Star appearance. It was an extra special year for M\u00e1rquez to be an All-Star, as the Midsummer Classic was held in Denver. M\u00e1rquez pitched one scoreless inning with a strikeout in his appearance in front of the hometown fans. Furthermore, he was just the sixth Rockies’ starting pitcher to make the All-Star Game and the first since Ubaldo Jim\u00e9nez<\/a> in 2010. He earned a 2.4 WAR in 2021, the third highest of his career behind only 2017 (3.5) and 2018 (4.2). It was a special season for M\u00e1rquez, and he stamped his place as one of the greatest Rockies starting pitchers of all time.<\/p>\n

Keys to M\u00e1rquez’s Success<\/h3>\n

In 2018 and 2021, M\u00e1rquez had K rates of 28.2% and 23.3%, respectively. His bread and butter in 2018 was his knuckle curve and slider. That season, his curve and slider averaged 82 and 85.5 mph, respectively. Per Statcast<\/a>, both pitches were stellar at drawing whiffs and putting away batters.<\/p>\n

2018<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Knuckle Curve:<\/p>\n