Friday Rockpile: Tanner Gordon deserves to be in Rockies rotation

Q: Why was Tanner Gordon optioned to Triple-A by the Rockies?

Tanner Gordon was optioned to Triple-A despite showing potential due to the Rockies' roster decisions after a less-than-stellar 2025 season.

Q: What were Tanner Gordon's stats in his MLB debut against the Astros?

In his MLB debut against the Astros, Tanner Gordon pitched four scoreless innings, allowing two hits, striking out four, and walking one.

Q: How did Tanner Gordon perform in spring training before being called up?

During spring training, Tanner Gordon posted a 1.65 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings, demonstrating his readiness for the MLB.

Q: What impact does Tanner Gordon's call-up have on the Rockies' rotation?

Tanner Gordon's call-up is crucial for the Rockies' rotation, especially with injuries to key pitchers and the need for a reliable starter.

Apr 15, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Tanner Gordon delivers a pitch during the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images While there were several surprises on the Opening Day roster for the Rockies in 2026, the biggest — and most disappointing in my opinion — was Tanner Gordon being optioned to Triple-A on March 17. Even though Gordon’s numbers weren’t amazing on the surface in 2025, when he posted an ERA of 6.33 in 15 starts with a 1.50 WHIP in 75 .1 innings, his growth and potential were notable. He threw seven quality starts, including in five of his last seven starts with 62 strikeouts and a 6-8 record, which helped build his confidence. The Rockies went 7-8 when Gordon was on the mound, giving Colorado a .466 winning percentage compared to their .265 mark on the season. Not only was Gordon’s performance in 2025 enough to be a strong contender for the starting rotation in 2026, but he then also continued to make a strong case in spring training. In Scottsdale, Gordon went 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA in four appearances (three starts) with 12 strikeouts and only two walks in 11 innings, while also working on new pitches and refining his arsenal. Regardless, Gordon started the season in Triple-A Albuquerque and continued to find success. In three starts, Gordon went 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA, 15 strikeouts and four walks in 16.1 innings. That’s why I was so thrilled to hear Gordon was to the 26-man roster — where he belongs — on Tuesday. Considering the early injuries to and , and the early struggles of and , the Rockies rotation needs help. Thus far, the Rockies bullpen has been impressive in long relief appearances from and , but having a four-man rotation is not a sustainable model for the Rockies. We know the bullpen will be asked to enter many games in the fifth and sixth innings, and they can’t be doing bullpen days every fifth game on top of that. That’s why Gordon deserves a spot in the rotation — and not down the road, either. The Rockies need to put Gordon in the rotation now. Gordon provided dominating evidence of why he belongs in the Big Leagues in his 2026 debut on Wednesday against the Houston Astros. When Quintana didn’t have his best stuff and was lucky to only give up three runs in 3.2 innings of work, the Rockies turned to to finish the fourth and then Gordon to finish the game. The 29-year-old RHP held Houston’s high-powered offense to two hits in four scoreless innings. He walked one batter and struck out four, including three straight sent down swinging in the sixth inning. When you dig deeper, Gordon’s performance is even more impressive. Forty of his 60 pitches were strikes, demonstrating the ability to hammer the strike zone, which is a core pitching pillar for Rockies pitching coach Alon Liechman. In addition, he , mainly relying on a four-seam fastball (45%), but sprinkling in his slider (30%), curveball (13%) and changeup (12%). “I had a little bit more adrenaline coming out of the ‘pen,” Gordon told . “Close ballgame. There’s a bunch of different factors. The fastball was feeling good. I was riding on that.” After the game, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer was pleased with Gordon’s debut. “The vert was good. TG was awesome today. First time in the big leagues this year. That’s exactly what we saw in spring training. For him to carry it out like that in a big-time game like that — very impressive, and he just fits right in with the rest of the boys out there.” The vert was indeed good. Insanely good. The vert, aka induced vertical break (IVB), which measures the vertical movement generated by a pitcher’s spin (backspin or topspin), excluding the effect of gravity, was working for Gordon. break it down nicely. Gordon was getting 17.9 inches of rise, which is an increase from the 14.4 inches he averaged last year. For comparison, Dodger pitcher leads MLB in IVB with his four-seam fastball at 21.8 inches. Gordon is ranked No. 72, which is the best for Colorado (Quintana is next at No. 121 at 17 inches). The movement helped Gordon strike out , and on nearly identical four-seamers that were up and in. They all came on the rising four-seamer. Even though it’s a small sample size, Gordon registered a 47.4 Whiff% on his four-seamer and a 28.6 Whiff% with his slider. Gordon’s velocity didn’t overpower hitters, as his four-seam fastball averaged 94.6 mph, but the deception was palpable. Having lost seven of their last eight games and heading into a homestand where the Rockies are hosting the and Padres, the Colorado pitching staff needs help. Tyler Gordon is an arm that could help deliver it.