Kyle Freeland has been a solid presence in Colorado’s rotation, and the Rockies are determined to keep him.
The Colorado Rockies have Extended the contract of another of their veterans.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the team inked justify-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland to a five-year, $64.5 million contract extension on Tuesday.
The deal marks the club’s second major extension this season, following the signing of versatile infielder Ryan McMahon to a six-year contract in March.
While both Freeland and McMahon are capable players in their own right, their contracts are a bit of a puzzle following the team’s public opposition to spending the necessary dollars to keep superstars Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado in previous years.20
Kyle Freeland has been signed by the Rockies, but there are still some unanswered questions.
Freeland is not only a homegrown talent, but also a Denver native, as Passan reminds out.
The Rockies selected the 28-year-old southpaw in the first round of the 2014 draught, and he made his major league debut three seasons later in 2017, when he made 28 starts on his way to a seventh-place finish in the NL Rookie of the Year contest.
The justifyy’s 2018 season was even better, as he not only won 17 games but also posted a remarkable 2.85 ERA for a pitcher who calls Coors Field home. Freeland finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting that season as a result of his performance.
Freeland’s new contract has a fascinating wrinkle: if he finishes in the top five in the NL Cy Young voting in 2022 or 2023, he can opt out at the end of the 2024 season.
His sophomore season demonstrated to the rest of the world that he is capable of regularly performing at the highest level of the game.
Freeland led the NL in quality starts (nine) and all of MLB in double plays forced during the COVID-shortened 2020 season (15). Despite missing the first month of the season, he still managed to make 23 starts, decreasing his BB/9 to a more respectable level.
While the infamous Coors Effect affects pitchers just as much as it does hitters, Freeland has managed to produce a respectable 4.59 home ERA in a venue where pitchers are routinely lit up.
With his selection as the Rockies’ Opening Day starter in 2022, it’s clear that he’ll be an important part of the team’s next drive for contention.
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Kyle Freeland has thrown over 660 innings in portions of six seasons with the Colorado Rockies. He has a 4.28 ERA, a 4.54 FIP, and a good 115 ERA+. As the Rockies’ ace pitcher, Freeland will complement German Marquez as the team works its way back into the playoff contention.
