Rockies target John Curtiss – MLB Trade Rumors

The Rockies sent a right-hander John Curtiss straight to Triple-A Albuquerque, according to his trade tracker on MLB.com. This indicates that he withdrew after being nominated for the job earlier this week. You have the right to choose freedom even though it is not clear that you have chosen to do so.
Curtiss, 31, was signed to a minor league deal at the start of the season. He didn’t break the schedule for Opening Day, reporting to Albuquerque for some work there. He threw 21 1/3 innings in the Pacific Coast League with a 6.75 earned run average. His 7.1% walk rate was solid but he only struck out 18.2% of the batters he faced and was hurt by an unfortunately low 57.8% strikeout rate.
Despite this lackluster performance, the Rockies called him up last week. They had played two more straight games and needed new arms. In Saturday’s game against the Phillies, Curtis was relieved Justin Lawrence with two outs in the ninth inning after the latter scored. With the Rockies down 4-3 and with two men on base, Curtis was brought in to face Bryce Harper and allowed a three-run homer. Then he allowed i Alec Bohm twice and a Nick Castellanos single, and Castellanos was thrown out for the second time to end the inning after Bohm scored.
Colorado needed to tighten up again a few days later and designated Curtiss for assignment, leaving him with a terrible 54.00 ERA, as he allowed two earned runs while recording just one.
Players with more than three years of service time or direct prior employment have the right to decline a direct assignment in favor of free agency. Curtis will be eligible on both counts and can choose to exercise that right. He had solid runs in 2020 and 2021 before Tommy John surgery, and hasn’t had much of an opportunity to prove himself since.
He threw 69 1/3 innings with a 2.86 ERA over 2020 and 2021, spending time with the Rays, Marlins and Brewers. He struck out 24.1% of the batters he faced and issued walks at a 5.2% clip. He went under the knife in September 2021 and missed all of 2022. With the Mets last year, he pitched 19 2/3 innings with a 4.58 ERA and a 19.8% strikeout rate.
The Rockies organization is a tough place for a guy looking to reinvent himself, given the friendly nature of Coors Field and the PCL, but Curtis may not have had many options this winter after a long injury layoff and limited recovery. Now that the season is in its third half and several clubs are dealing with mounting injuries to their staff, Curtis may be interested in pursuing opportunities elsewhere.
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