One does not have to be a rocket scientist to have noticed just how bad the Colorado Rockies' pitching staff was this season.

These glaring issues came to the forefront when starters went out game after game, unable to reach consistently beyond the fourth inning. Most Rockies starters tried to go five innings, but Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer had to go out early way too many times.

This is the time for Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta to get down to the nitty gritty and see how this staff can get upgraded.

Besides starters, some experienced arms in the bullpen could help over a long 162-game season. If there is any hope for this franchise to stop the bleeding and 100-loss seasons from being normal, DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes have to get to work.

Kyle Freeland finished up his 10th season with the ballclub and it's a bit questionable if Colorado will bring him back. Freeland finished with a 4-12 record and a 6.65 ERA. In 135.1 innings, Freeland posted a WHIP of 1.52. As much as Freeland could offer the Rockies from a veteran standpoint, the ballclub might look to free agency for help.

It's worth watching to see what happens to Freeland this offseason.

Tomoyuki Sugano started this season pretty well, yet the second half just was not good enough. Sugano finished with a 12-12 record and a 5.37 ERA. He worked 154.1 innings and put up a WHIP of 1.32. That was just below his 2025 WHIP of 1.33. Sugano leaned on a four-seam fastball, split-finger fastball, and a sinker to get opposing hitters out.

Sugano might be one of those veterans who do come back. He will need to spend a lot of time in the offseason and Spring Training to work out the kinks in his pitching style.

Reliever Jordon Romano came over to the Rockies during the season and finished with an 0-4 record. He was in his eighth major-league season in 2026. Romano, according to Baseball Savant, had a 5.61 ERA with 39 strikeouts and a 1.43 WHIP.

What the Rockies must do is look at their assets and liabilities with this pitching staff. There are more liabilities, of course, so the management has to take all of that into account.

If DePodesta and Byrnes decide to venture forth into the free agent marketplace, then they'll need to be sure what types of pitchers they want to have on their team.