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Since limping out of the gate in 2019 with a record of 3-12, the Colorado Rockies have been the second best team in the National League and have done so largely by discovering a new aspect of themselves.

The postseason runs of the last two years were buoyed primarily by the starting pitching. In numerous conversations with Nolan Arenado throughout those campaigns, he told me that he felt like if the offense could get going just a little bit to back up the performances on the mound, the team would go on a run.

Eventually, those things happened en route to 87 and then 91 wins even though such finishes felt unlikely if not downright impossible midway through the summer.

Now, Arenado sees the lineup production he has always envisioned as the bats have begun to bear the burden of keeping the club in the hunt.

“Guys are just having really great at-bats,” he says. “Guys are just competing their butts off man. It’s just a credit to this group.”

Before hitting the road to Arizona and California, the Rockies had been regularly topping six runs a game, scoring 183 in the month of May, but lost some tough ones to take.

“Our pitching is having a tough time right now and we are just finding ways to battle and give them runs and we know they are going to come around because they are too good and work too hard,” Arenado said at the conclusion of the homsetand.

Since making those comments, Colorado has rattled off the best string of starting pitching they’ve had all season. In the first six games, they put up a 2.34 ERA over 34.2 IP and notched four of six quality starts. Jon Gray followed that up in San Francisco with six shutout innings, bettering his ERA since May 22 (43 IP) to 2.93.

Over in the batter’s box, the end results are less eye-popping but more impressive. Facing a slew of seriously sinister starters, the Rockies offense raised each of their remarkably impressive ERA’s until their first real clunker on Monday against Drew Pomeranz who seems to have their number.

“It’s been impressive to see this offense the way it’s going,” Arenado says.

And the biggest difference from a year ago, when we still saw brilliant individual results from him and Trevor Story, is that the parade to the plate has included everybody.

“It’s 1-9,” he says, taking a moment to single out one veteran. “The way Ian has come alive and played so well. He’s really transformed our lineup, we’re so deep now.”

Desmond certainly has come a long way from being the lightning rod that had hometown fans booing him off the field a season ago.

“Yeah man, it’s awesome,” says Arenado. “Ian is one of the most level-headed people I have ever met in my life so I’m not surprised. And he cares man. He just cares so much and is such a good teammate, he’s been unbelievable. Same with Murphy.”

Daniel Murphy has helped Arenado specifically both in terms of being excellent lineup protection and in terms of teaching him a new definition of what that even means.

If you read that report on BSN Denver, then you understand how and why the most elite third baseman in the game is in awe of the outfielder hitting in front of him who seems to be flying a bit under the radar at the moment.

“David Dahl is kinda like that old school player, you know? He hits for high average and a lot of line drives,” Arenado explains. “He has power, too, he hasn’t hit as many homers yet but he has crushed some balls off the wall. He is probably going to hit like 20-25, he’s that talented.”

But the word hasn’t gotten out despite Dahl ranking in the Top 10 in the National League just about every offensive category other than the aforementioned home runs.

“I just think it takes a while to get that name going,” Arenado says. “It’s like Story his first year. Remember he raked and didn’t make the team even though he deserved it. He’s just gotta keep grooving. He’s just gotta keep doing what he’s doing. He’s playing extremely well. He’s going to be a star.”

With players like Dahl and Desmond lengthening the lineup while Arenado and Charlie Blackmon do the kind of crazy things they have become known for, the Rockies offense looks like one that will continue to get theirs as the season goes on.

Even the losses in Los Angeles suggest they can scratch out wins against the very best if they can get just a little bit better on the mound.

“Listen, early in the year they were pitching and we weren’t hitting,” Arenado admits, pointing again to how that was the case for almost all of last season. “Then we got on a little hot streak but then we cooled off but are still winning ballgames. We’re still battling, still scoring runs. Once they get it going, and they’re too good not to…And that’s when…”

At this point, Arenado trailed off for a moment and I reminded him of the 91 wins that came once the team finally clicked in 2018.

“Exactly,” he responded. “Absolutely… Boom.”