Colorado Rockies: Extending German Marquez may only be the beginning

The Colorado Rockies have finally found solid starting pitching. Keeping those young arms together makes perfect sense.

It took a long time for the Colorado Rockies to find pitching. After the years of David Nied, Darryl Kile, Mike Hampton, and plenty of others, the Rockies have begun to put together their own home grown staff. With youngsters Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, and Jon Gray, the Rockies have a formidable youthful trio atop the rotation.

The Rockies are making sure that at least one of those arms will not get away any time soon. On Tuesday, they extended Marquez on a five year deal with a team option that can vest into a mutual option for 2024.

After a solid year in 2017, Marquez had his breakthrough in 2018. He posted a 3.77 ERA and a 1.204 WHiP, striking out 230 batters with only 57 walks in his 196 innings. Marquez also showed some ability with the bat, winning the Silver Slugger as he had 18 hits and a homer in 65 plate appearances.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

This contract provides plenty of certainty for both the Rockies and Marquez. He will no longer have to go through the arbitration process, and Colorado has bought out a year of free agency at the very minimum. Marquez, even if the option is picked up, will be 29 at the end of the deal, and could be set for a solid return in free agency.

Colorado has also now wrapped up another piece of the core, having extended Nolan Arenado earlier in the year. With both players locked up, the Rockies can focus on keeping other core players moving forward, including other members of that pitching staff. Freeland would make sense as the next player for an extension, as the Rockies could lock in another young starter.

Both Marquez and Freeland have displayed an ability to pitch at Coors Field as well. Instead of being intimidated by the thin air and the way the ball carries, they have thrived in Colorado. That is well worth any money that would be invested in locking those pitchers in.

The Colorado Rockies have signed German Marquez to an extension. He may only be the beginning as it pertains to that pitching staff.