The Rockies tweaked their pitching staff before tonight’s game against the Giants. Right-hander Jordan Romano had his contract selected, and lefty Sean Sullivan was recalled. Righty Tomoyuki Sugano landed on the 15-day injured list due to back spasms. Reliever Seth Halvorsen also hit the IL with shoulder inflammation. Colorado had a vacant 40-man spot, so no corresponding move was needed to add Romano.
The 33-year-old Romano joined the organization on a minor league deal in early May. He was cut by the Angels in late April after posting a 10.13 ERA over 11 appearances. Romano got back on track during his two months in the minors, compiling a 3.72 ERA over 10 games between Rookie ball and Triple-A. He sat at 93.9 mph with the four-seamer, down slightly from his stint with Los Angeles.
Romano had three seasons as an elite closer with the Blue Jays from 2021 to 2023. He was an All-Star in the latter two years. An arm injury derailed Romano from there. He dealt with elbow inflammation on multiple occasions in 2024 and hasn’t been able to perform consistently in the majors since then. Romano opened last year as the Phillies’ closer, but fell out of the role by June. His tenure with the Angels went similarly.
Sugano was supposed to start tonight, but was scratched with the back issue. He’ll now head to the IL for at least a couple of weeks. The veteran righty has fared surprisingly well at Coors Field, notching a 4.14 ERA in seven starts. Sugano’s ERA is more than a run higher on the road.
It’s a tough blow for the Rockies, as Sugano has been their most reliable starter. The club is already missing Jose Quintana and Chase Dollander. Sugano’s absence further thins a rotation that ranks dead last in ERA. It also means another shot for Sullivan to stick on the team. He was crushed for 16 earned runs over 16 1/3 innings across four outings in June. The lefty was sent down at the end of the month, but will rejoin the big-league squad before making a Triple-A appearance.
Halvorsen has appeared in 21 games over several stints with the Rockies this year. He’s struggled to a 4.74 ERA over 19 frames. The 26-year-old was averaging 98.8 mph on his fastball this year. That’s certainly still high-end velocity, but the pitch is down more than a tick from his first two MLB seasons. Halvorsen’s 2025 campaign was cut short due to an elbow strain. He’s now dealing with another arm injury.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hui, Imagn Images
