The Rockies are expected to sign right-hander Jhoulys Chacín to a major league contract, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com (Twitter link). He’ll be on the Opening Day roster. Nick Groke of the Athletic noted earlier this evening Chacín was throwing in front of Rockies’ brass.
Chacín is returning to the place where his career began. The right-hander signed with the Rockies as an international amateur in 2004 and made his MLB debut with Colorado five years later. Chacín went on to perform as a durable, effective rotation piece for a few seasons in Denver. Between 2010-14, he tossed 661 innings of 3.76 ERA/4.01 FIP ball, no small feat in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. He has been something of a nomad in the years since, appearing in the majors for the Diamondbacks, Braves (two separate stints), Angels, Padres, Brewers and Red Sox.
As recently as 2018, Chacín was arguably the Brewers’ most productive starter. Leaning on his slider almost half the time, he tossed 192.2 innings of 3.50 ERA/4.59 SIERA ball. His 2019 season was a disaster, though, as he slumped to a 6.01 ERA/4.94 SIERA. Chacín only threw five innings last season.
Chacín spent the most recent Spring Training in camp with the Yankees on a minor-league deal. He pitched well but couldn’t carve out a role in a high-upside New York rotation. The Yankees granted Chacín his release earlier this week, and he quickly found a guaranteed job in Colorado.
The Rockies’ rotation looks to be the strength of the roster, although it’s not completely without opportunity. Germán Márquez will take the ball on Opening Day, and he’s likely to be followed by Antonio Senzatela, Jon Gray and Austin Gomber. Fellow projected starter Kyle Freeland will begin the year on the injured list with a shoulder strain. Chi Chi González had looked like the favorite to open the year in the rotation’s fifth spot, but it appears that role will go to Chacín.
Chacín’s signing is also the Rockies’ first major league free agent contract of the offseason. Colorado had been the only team in the league not to hand out a guaranteed deal this winter, but they’ll get on the board the day before the season opener.
RIP Chacín.
He’s gotta just be happy to have a big league job at this point
This organization continues to baffle me……
They have an injury in the rotation for a month or so (Kyle Freeland). When healthy, this is a very solid rotation and they’d have zero use for Chacin. If he pitches well they’ll probably try and trade him when Freeland returns.
If Chacin pitches well, he’ll stay in the rotation because some one else always gets injured. Never have enough pitching.
The fact Jon Gray is still in the rotation is proof enough.
Aw, yeah. It’s 2009 again.
These kind of signings always happen when Jhoulys expect it.
This pun gets the baseballpun seal of appunroval.
We should have Chacin this joke coming from a mile away.
Coors Field is a nightmare to Superstar pitchers – but its always been a stabilizer to mid-rotation journeyman. When pitchers need a ballpark where the expectations are minor, and their given a chance to prove themselves and rebuild their value – Coors Field has been a great place for them to do so.
Whether you hate the ownership group or not – Kevin Ritz, Darren Oliver, Josh Fogg, Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel, Armando Reynoso, Ubaldo Jimenez, Shawn Estes, Jason Marquis, Pedro Astacio, Brian Bohannon, and Greg Holland just to name a few – these were all middle of the rotation starters or backend journeyman who regained their value. Holland was an injured closer who was doing the same.
The Rockies are better served drafting and developing their starters. They should spend more time trading marginal prospects for high-ceiling, unproven pitching prospects who need a change of scenery; as well as scouring the waiver wires and free-agency for rehabbing arms.
Everyone loved Ubaldo Jimenez for three years.
James LaGrow:
You do know that prospect for prospect trades between teams rarely happen, right?
And, even if they did, I’m not sure other teams would be that willing to trade their high-ceiling prospects, whether they’ve struggle or not, which I assume you mean by needing “a change of scenery”, for the Rockies marginal prospects.
Scouring the waiver wires and looking for rehabbing FAs is a good strategy though. It’s Farhan Zaidi’s MO, and despite the criticisms about dumpster diving, is what all teams, without elite pitching, should be doing.
Tad:
We’re not discussing top 10 prospects here. We’re discussing deals like the deal Colorado made with Cincinnatti this summer: Jeff Hoffman-Robert Stephenson; or the 2008 deal that traded Ramon Ramirez, one of the 2007 Bullpen arms who imploded in 2008, for Jorge De La Rosa, a fledgling ace with dynamic stuff but couldn’t put it all together in between the ears.
Stephenson will not be an ace, but he’s going to become a dominate bullpen piece. And Austin Gomber will also be a dominate piece. The Rockies MO is not about building quality farm prospects, but getting more from those with less attention.
Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, Antonio Senzatela, German Marquez, Ubaldo Jimenez, Frankie Morales – none of them were regarded as elite prospects, yet – they all thrived. Nolan Arenado was never considered an elite prospect until right before he was called up.
But our players who were elite prospects: Matt Holliday, Ian Stewart, David Dahl, Brendan Rodgers, Casey Weathers, Greg Reynolds, Troy Tulowitzki, Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson – were all injury prone and could never stay healthy.
Chacin needs 85 more days of big league service time to qualify for a full mlb union pension. He’s sitting at 38 of 40 credits.
Hope he get there, he deserves to be vested
Back where it all began! To be fair he’s pitched well in Coors field in the past.
Back to where it all began for Chacin
This guy had real good stuff in Colorado around a decade ago. He deserves another shot, and let’s see what he has left in the tank. He knows how to pitch to hitters, and I’m hoping he does well.
this is what the Rox need to do. retain/bring back guys who can actually pitch there.
His stats are scattered all over but he still looks serviceable. Wishing him the best.
The Rockies always trade or sell their best prospects. Roberto Ramos was one of them, they sold his contract to LG Twins of KBO. What’s he do over there? Hits 30+ Home runs just like he did the year before for AAA. How can you let a guy like that get away. Hitter friendly park, would hit at least 30 in big leagues. Why because he was drafted in 16th round and it would make themselves look bad? Don’t know, they want to continue to be awful.