Rockies make bold move in attempt to shore up bullpen

The Colorado Rockies will no longer use right-hander Pierce Johnson as their closer, manager Bud Black told the team’s beat (relayed by Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post). Black didn’t declare a definitive replacement, but pointed to Justin Lawrence and Jake Bird as candidates to step into the role.

Johnson signed a one-year, $5M free-agent contract with his hometown club over the offseason. It was a roll of the dice from the Colorado front office, considering he had been limited by injury to 14 1/3 innings during his final season as a San Diego Padre. While Johnson has been healthy in 2023, he has not performed at the level the organization had envisioned.

Over 24 innings, the veteran hurler has been tagged for a 7.50 ERA. He hasn’t had any trouble missing bats, as he’s punching out 27.7 percent of opponents while picking up swinging strikes at a solid 11.9 percent clip. Yet his control has been far too inconsistent. Johnson has walked over 14 percent of batters faced. He has also surrendered plenty of loud contact and while it’s unlikely that nearly 40 percent of balls in play against the reliever will continue to fall for hits, the combination of free passes and barrels has led to disappointing results.

Johnson’s raw save rate (11-of-13) isn’t bad. Each of his blown saves have come over his last two opportunities, though. A three-run ninth inning which turned a potential 4-3 win into a 6-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants Thursday will lead the club in another direction. Johnson could still play an important role in the Colorado bullpen, but it will come in the form of middle-to late innings work for the time being.

Lawrence and Bird have each performed much better through the season’s first couple months. The former carries a 3.41 ERA across 34 1/3 innings. A lower-slot righty, Lawrence presents a particularly tough look for same-handed hitters. He is striking out almost 27 percent of opponents and generating grounders on over half the batted balls he allows. Lawrence has had scattershot control in years past, but this season’s 9.4 percent walk rate is tolerable.

Bird, 27, leads all Colorado relievers with 41 1/3 innings pitched. He is currently sitting on a 3.05 ERA and (like Lawrence) is keeping the ball on the ground at a high level. While a modest nine percent swinging strike rate might make it difficult for him to continue punching out a quarter of opposing hitters, that shouldn’t be an issue so long as he’s picking up grounders at a near-57 percent clip.