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Why Rockies Must Move on From Kyle Freeland
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- Why Rockies Must Move on From Kyle Freeland
(© Matt Marton-Imagn Images)
For Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, there is a storybook element to his time with the team.
Freeland was born on May 14, 1993, in Denver, which also marked the inaugural season of the Rockies. Twenty-one years after the fact, in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Rockies selected Freeland with the eighth overall pick.
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There are not many more full-circle stories in all of sports than Freeland's. He grew up as a Rockies fan, and since he was drafted in 2014, they have been the only organization he has been a part of.
Unfortunately, this story may be over.
Time to move on for Rockies from Freeland
Freeland has never been a dominant pitcher, and his only truly great season came in 2018, when he went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA over 33 starts and 202.1 innings. He finished that season with a top-10 ERA, and the innings he logged also made it into the top 10.
That season was the last time the Rockies made the playoffs, and it has been downhill for Freeland and the team ever since.
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In 2026, Freeland, 33, was abysmal on the mound. Across 26 starts, he went 4-12 with a 6.65 ERA in 135.1 innings of work. He also logged a 1.52 WHIP, the second-worst mark of his career.
Freeman's contract option for 2027 voided
Because of Freeland's brutal season, his $17 million contract option for 2027, which was part of a five-year, $64.5 million deal, was voided because he failed to meet a specific performance clause that required him to pitch 170 innings.
The Rockies made some marginal progress in 2026, but Freeland's production remained at rock bottom due to injuries and inconsistencies.
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If there was ever a time for this marriage to end, it is now, given that the Rockies do not have a big financial commitment to him.
The offense showed tremendous promise during the 2026 season, but the pitching staff must be addressed . Freeland is hardly alone in his struggles on the mound, as none of Colorado's starters finished with a winning record or an ERA below 5.00.
Again, Freeland's story has been remarkable and the stuff of dreams. Who else can say that they got to spend a decade with their hometown Major League Baseball team?
Still, if we are being objective, he has been a below-average pitcher for most of his career. At this juncture, Freeland carries a 69-102 record with a 4.75 ERA across 262 appearances, 257 of which were starts.
If the Rockies are serious about improving, which they seem to be under president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, then Freeland cannot be a part of the future equation.
