These Rox relievers are trying to prove their worth

This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding's Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The latest relief pitching tests turned out fine in the most important category for Rockies rookie Jake Bird, and glowingly for second-year man Justin Lawrence. There’s no final grade, of course. But there is the opportunity for more tests.

The Rockies entered 2022 expecting to develop pitchers who would spend considerable time at Triple-A Albuquerque to be part of their bullpen. While the team needs to bolster its ‘23 bullpen with experience, lesser service-time relievers will have chances.

Bird, a fifth-round Draft pick in 2018 out of UCLA, and Lawrence, a 12th-rounder in 2015 out of Daytona (Fla.) State College after a brief career at the University of Jacksonville, have earned the most opportunities of the preseason candidates.

The hope is by pitching well enough for innings in competitive games this season, they can pitch in more important roles next season. Lefty Lucas Gilbreath yo-yoed between Albuquerque and Colorado last year and is this year’s primary left-handed setup man.

“I see them progressing,” manager Bud Black said. “I see them getting innings and appearances that will only benefit their progression as, hopefully, Major League relief pitchers.”

Only consistency will assure them of future opportunities. As a cautionary tale, righty Robert Stephenson last year appeared headed to a key role. But after struggling this year, he was designated for assignment on Thursday.

On Thursday night, Bird entered with two runners on base in the fifth to face the Mets’ Pete Alonso, who had homered off starter Ryan Feltner earlier. Bird forced a fly ball to end the threat.

Bird pitched around a walk and a single the following inning, but two walks ended his night with one out in the seventh. Enter Lawrence, who struck out Alonso swinging and Daniel Vogelbach looking, and added a scoreless eighth that featured a deft fielding play to thwart Tyler Naquin’s attempt to bunt for a hit.

“Bird needs to pound that strike zone a little bit more consistently,” Black said. “Justin did a nice job with the two guys on that Bird allowed. He's gaining some momentum, which is good to see from a young pitcher.”

Bird, 26, and Lawrence, 27, are similar with their mid-90s fastball/slider combinations, with Lawrence coming from a lower arm angle, and Bird also employing a curveball.

Both, however, know success comes from staying in the strike zone.

During Major League opportunities last year, Lawrence had a high walk rate -- 10.4 per nine innings. This year’s 6.4 per nine innings through Friday is more than double what’s considered ideal, but in his past three outings, he hasn’t walked any of the 12 batters he has faced. He has struck out a healthy 11.9 per nine innings through Friday.

Last year he was regularly hitting 100 mph. But going into this year, he consulted coaches and the Rockies’ analytics staff to find the proper arm angle and speed to throw more strikes. His heater is still firm, but a few mph slower. He tweaked his motion when recalled from Albuquerque four appearances ago. He walked two in 1 2/3 innings on Aug. 17 at St. Louis before his current walk-free run.

“I made a slight change with my finish for a little bit better direction,” said Lawrence, who is in his final season of Minor League options. "That’s from some of the work me and [pitching coach] Darryl Scott put in. I brought up Scott Efross with the Yankees. I saw the way he finishes and started to work on that, adjusting to where it works for me.”

Bird debuted on June 16. He’s 1-4 with a 4.80 ERA in 26 appearances and, in what may be his biggest accomplishment, has been a steady member of the bullpen.

Bird has experimented with a changeup, but the Rockies believe that is for later in his career. Fellow reliever Carlos Estévez has repeatedly advised Bird that the pitches he has are enough. Per nine innings, he averages 7.2 strikeouts and 5.7 walks through Friday.

“I know my stuff is good enough; it’s just about guys being a little smarter, so I can work on just being a little bit more unpredictable,” Bird said. “Everybody has been really supportive. Sometimes I wish somebody would get on me, yell at me a little bit more, but I’m going to keep trying to get better.”