DENVER – It’s been a tale of two seasons for Colorado Rockies reliever Chris Rusin.
One of the most reliable relievers in baseball one short year ago, Rusin has been lost on the mound for most of 2018. It’s been a constant battle since his first appearance of the year when he was tagged by the Arizona Diamondbacks for three runs in the opening game of the season.
A combination of mechanical issues, league-wide adjustments to a pitcher who suddenly has a star next to his name on the scouting report, a bit of bad luck, and a drop in confidence as a result of all that, has amounted to a 6.38 ERA and a 5.84 FIP. That’s miles away from his 2.65 ERA from a year ago.
But, Rusin tells BSN Denver, the problems have been identified and the process of correcting them is underway.
“I was able to get outs this time, first of all,” he told us after his most recent outing at Coors Field, a performance that saw him go 2.2 innings without giving up a baserunner. Vintage Rusin.
Manager Bud Black says the improved results stem from some adjustments Rusin and the coaching staff have been working diligently on.
“I had to change my direction a bit,” Rus continued. “The previous couple of games I was spinning off and it was making the pitches stay flat. So I’ve been working really hard, still working hard, and I’m still not all the way there yet but it’s headed in the right direction. I had the correct action on my pitches today. I was pleased to see the results with the work I’ve been putting in.”
For someone who had become known for his ability to work multiple innings, attempting to do so had become a bit of an issue for Rusin in 2018. Even as he began to find his rhythm in moments, pitching a clean inning here or there, he always seemed to get knocked around in his follow-up frame.
While his most recent outing in Los Angeles still ended up being a little shaky, that was in part due to come poor defense behind him and still, Rusin was able to take control over what he could and minimize the damage. He has now worked seven innings over his last three appearances and allowed just one earned run.
This is much more in line with the pitcher Rockies fans got used to seeing in 2017. And it’s much more in line with what Rusin has come to expect from himself.
“It felt good to get a clean outing,” he said. “That’s what I’m accustomed to. Obviously, it feels really good. It hasn’t happened much at all this year. It’s a confidence booster. I’m just gonna try to build on that and keep it going.”
Remember, too, that we are discussing a pitcher who was able to learn and implement a quick-pitch motion in the span of just a few weeks. If he can get himself right making similarly quick adjustments, it could mean big things for his club.
The Colorado Rockies can find comfort in the number of games left on the schedule (78) and that they are only six games out of first place in the NL West and five games out of the Wild Card without having played anything close to their best baseball.
There is perhaps no bigger symbol for the Rockies early frustrations, or their potential to turn it all around, than the pitcher Chris Rusin has been versus the pitcher we know he can be. Perhaps both the team and the reliever will stay stuck in neutral, seemingly unable to maintain any kind of forward momentum.
Or perhaps, the adjustments will take and the Rockies will get one of their most reliable relievers back in time to make a run in the second half in and shock the National League.
