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Colorado Rockies: Is Jon Gray the Ace Despite Demotion?

By Phil Akre

DENVER, CO - MAY 30: Manager Bud Black of the Colorado Rockies chats with starting pitcher Jon Gray #55 as the infielders look on during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MAY 30: Manager Bud Black of the Colorado Rockies chats with starting pitcher Jon Gray #55 as the infielders look on during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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After a rocky start to the 2018 season, Colorado Rockies No.1 starter Jon Gray has been sent to the minors. Should he still be viewed as the teams’ ace, or is his fall from grace the real thing?

Colorado Rockies starter Jon Gray was once considered the next big thing in the National League West. He was just a 24-year-old in 2016 when he finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Gray finished that season with a 10-10 record and a 4.61 ERA. He followed up the next season with a 10-4 record and 3.67 ERA. Things appeared to be on the upside.

That disappeared quickly, as Gray is now in Triple-A.

For the team, it’s being viewed as a move that almost had  to happen. When speaking to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, manager Bud Black spoke honestly about Gray’s demotion.

"“This was the right time to get Jon to Triple-A to work on some things — not so much mechanically but mentally — and to realize the inconsistencies that have been happening this season, that we’ve gotta try to get those straightened out,” Black said. “As much as we wanted those to happen at the big league level, we felt as though, at this time, it was best for him to work out some of these things in the Minor Leagues.”"

Black’s not wrong. The Rockies, who’s rotation ranks third worst in the NL in ERA (4.68), couldn’t afford to keep Gray up much longer.

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His 5.77 ERA certainly stands out, but so do his NL-leading 59 earned runs and 108 hits allowed.

As its been a problem for much of his career, Gray struggled to limit walks, pitching to a 2.8 BB/9 rate.

It’s certainly frustrating for him and the Rockies, as the righty has shown power (11.6K/9) on the mound  with nothing to show for it.

After all this, can the team still count on Gray to blossom into the ace he was expected to be?

While he has certainly shown ace-like stuff, he hasn’t delivered any of it with consistency. Of the incumbents in the rotation, 2015 No. 8 overall pick Kyle Freeland has shown the most promise.

Though he’s the No. 4 starter now, the 25-year-old has pitched to a 3.29 ERA and limited opponents to a .241 batting average.

Behind him, though, Riley Pint continues to grow. Pint, the No. 4 pick in the 2016 draft, has the look of a future ace.

His numbers through the minors haven’t screamed “future ace,” but he’s pitched to a 1.29 ERA in Short Season A-ball this season. Additionally, it’s worth nothing that he’s just 20 years old, too. In its assessment of Pint, MLB.com asserts that he will grow into a top-of-the-line starter.

"“His first order of business is to locate his fastball more consistently, and then he can spend more time refining his other pitches. Youth and athleticism are on his side, and if he figures everything out, he can be a frontline starter.”"

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Even without Gray at the top of its rotation, Colorado has Freeland emerging as a real strength. Pint is probably a year or two off. Gray has time to figure things out, as the team won’t give up on him.

But, how much longer can he afford to wait?

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