Feltner focusing on trust in his pitches with help from Stallings

TAMPA -- Rockies right-handed pitcher Ryan Feltner had too many good pitches to be thinking so much. His career began taking off during the second half of last season, when he turned the thinking over to veteran catcher Jacob Stallings.

The stuff of Feltner and the brains of Stallings were tested in the first inning Sunday afternoon. The Rays began with three hits -- including Yandy Díaz’s double on the game’s first pitch and Brandon Lowe’s two-run homer on the first pitch of his one-out at-bat -- plus a walk in the first five batters.

But after Feltner hosted a mound meeting with Stallings and pitching coach Darryl Scott, he retired the next 11 batters and didn’t give up any more runs in his five innings. On balance, Feltner carried his strong second-half performance of last year into his first start of 2025.

“My goal for the first inning was to get ahead and challenge them,” Feltner said. “And their goal was to swing at those first pitches.

“We realized that pretty quick and started them off on the changeup after that. ‘Stalls’ helped me through it. We figured out what their game plan was and were able to move forward.”

The Rockies erased the deficit, but a defense that was so airtight during Saturday’s victory leaked during the Rays’ four-run sixth inning, and the Rockies lost, 6-4, at George M. Steinbrenner Field in the deciding game of the three-game season-opening series.

The Rockies hope the long road of rebuilding that they’ve been on since their last postseason trip (2018) leads to contender status. But they believe they can make up ground this year if their starting pitching is healthy and productive. The first series produced a sparkling start from lefty Kyle Freeland on Opening Day, a weird game in which Antonio Senzatela was bailed out by his fielders and Feltner’s solid work after changing his game plan.

A fourth-round MLB Draft pick out of Ohio State in 2018, Feltner reached the Majors in ‘21, although his career took a pause after he was hit in the head by a line drive in 2023. When Feltner returned, he had the same lively fastball plus a full complement of off-speed pitches. But early last season, he was not making key pitches and was accused of overthinking.

The pairing with Stallings helped. Stallings caught 19 of Feltner’s 30 starts last year. Three times, the two worked together for four straight games. Within that period, Stallings suggested Feltner add a sweeper, which brought his selection of pitches to six.

With Feltner trusting Stallings to call the right one, he posted a 2.98 ERA through the final 15 starts of last season.

Sunday’s mound visit was a chance to assess what was happening. The Rays had not been as aggressive the previous two games. Díaz’s first-pitch hack was unexpected. Lowe loves first pitches, so that wasn’t a shock. Still, it was time to reassess.

“It’s the old cat-and-mouse game where you don’t want to over-adjust, or adjust if they’re not adjusting,” Feltner said. “It’s satisfying for sure to know that you were right and see the process through.”

Stallings, though, was thinking more of the pitcher than the pitch call.

“I was like, ‘How are you doing?’” Stallings said. “‘How’s your head space?’ He was calm. I think this time last year, [Feltner's head space] might have been pretty bad. I’m so proud of him. He threw the ball well. We came back, tied it and had a chance late.”

With the changeup the pitch that pulled him back into the game, Feltner finished his five innings with five strikeouts against two runs, four hits and a walk. The homer accounted for the only runs.

“From that point on, he settled in,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Two runs through five innings, right around 80 pitches. I thought he had good use of the changeup today against their heavy left-handed-hitting lineup. That was very effective.”

Feltner believes he can be a part of the Rockies becoming competitive.

“We had a lot of close games last year,” Feltner said. “Everybody talks about the Dodgers, but we play them close every year. We play everybody very close. It’s just about pulling out those small victories, getting those tight wins. ... It’s about that last little two percent.”