Dodgers: Sizing Up the NL West Competition- Rockies

The Rockies pitching is actually quite impressive especially given the fact that they pitch in the friendliest batter park in the league. Through the high altitude and the thin air, the Rockies’ pitchers offer a nice group to choose from when highlighting just one player.

But, choose as I must, I am having a hard time picking anyone but Jon Gray.

Jon Gray, pitcher by day and ghostbuster by night is pure talent. His pitches all compliment one-another and his strikeout ability is one that rivals that of Clayton Kershaw, Chris Sale, and Max Scherzer.

In his three big league seasons, the 26-year-old righty has maintained an ERA of 4.40, impressive given his home field location. Perhaps more indicative of his talent, Gray has an ERA+ of 111 in three seasons. If you were to take away his first year in which he played in just nine games, Gray’s ERA drops to 4.24 with an ERA+ of 116. But, talented as he may be, Jon Gray has an issue a coach cannot fix, he is very fragile.

In back to back seasons, Jon Gray found himself on the disabled list with injuries that kept him there for an extended period of time. In 2016 Gray was on track to place well in the Rookie of the Year race and finished just sixth after a string of injuries causing him to miss starts.

Last season, Gray missed an extended period of time due to a toe injury which ultimately became a stress fracture in his foot. But, His dirty health track record makes him all the more intriguing for 2018. If Gray can stay healthy for an entire season, it could be reasonable to project him with elite numbers. Gray’s health will be the main factor in his season’s outcome and for that reason, he is the pitcher to watch.