ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The Atlanta Bravers on Wednesday acquired left-hander Ryan Rolison from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash considerations, both teams announced.
Rolison, 28, was Colorado’s first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2018 and battled numerous injuries before making his major league debut in May, where he pitched to a 7.02 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 42.1 innings (31 appearances) last season.
Rolison was designated for assignment on Tuesday.
Another Rockies revitalization?
Front office head Alex Anthopoulos has tapped the Rockies’ reliever market before, most notably by acquiring struggling right-handers Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley and turning them into bullpen mainstays; Johnson since 2023 and both throughout this past season.
Johnson posted a 6.00 ERA over 39 innings with Colorado in 2023 before being dealt to the Braves at the deadline, where he allowed just two runs across 23.2 innings to finish the season. Kinley, acquired by Atlanta at this past deadline, similarly improved his numbers, cutting his ERA from 5.66 (30 ER in 47.2 IP with Colorado) to 3.96 after giving up only two runs in 25 innings with the Braves.
Both Johnson and Kinley had their club options declined and are now free agents.
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But similar success could be envisioned for Rolison, who, like Johnson and Kinley, may simply need a change of scenery after pitching at Coors Field, a notoriously hitter-friendly ballpark.
The southpaw joins a right-handed-heavy bullpen that is in need of improvement. Anthopoulos has said that the team will prioritize bullpen pieces this offseason and is expected to reconstruct a bullpen that’s currently led by right-hander Daysbel Hernández and southpaws Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer.