I had an immediate flashback. Ryan Feltner did not, which helps explain why he has a chance to be the best starter in the Rockies’ rotation this season.

Short-term memory and mental toughness are prerequisites for a major league pitcher, particularly for one who must ply his trade at Coors Field.

Last Tuesday night in Toronto, the Blue Jays’ Andres Gimenez scorched a 106 mph line drive back to the mound and off Feltner’s right hip.

I immediately recalled that chilling moment on May 13, 2023, at Coors Field when the Phillies’ Nick Castellanos hit a 92.7 mph comebacker. Feltner had just enough reaction time to dodge getting hit in the face, but the baseball struck Feltner in the back of his head, just above the right ear. He suffered a skull fracture and a major concussion.

I asked Feltner if that traumatic moment came roaring back when he got hit in Toronto.

“There wasn’t any thought of what happened before, none at all,” he said. ‘Once I got hit, I just wanted to make sure I had enough feeling in my leg to keep going. There was no association with what happened in 2023.”

Feltner finished the third inning in Toronto, but his right glute tightened up, and he was unable to continue. But the 29-year-old right-hander is fine and will make his scheduled start on Monday night against the Astros at Coors Field.

In those three innings vs. the Blue Jays, Feltner showed what he’s capable of. He allowed no runs, one walk, and struck out four. He mixed all six of his pitches: four-seam fastball, changeup, slider, sinker, sweeper and curveball. His strikeouts came via his fastball, slider, sinker and sweeper.

“He pitched awesome,” catcher Hunter Goodman said. “He had command of all of his pitches. That was the best I have seen him throw this year, including spring training. I’m excited for his next few outings. I think he can build momentum off those.”

Feltner did not have a great spring training — 9.65 ERA, 11 walks, 17 strikeouts over 16 innings — and his command was erratic. He barely beat out Chase Dollander for the fifth spot in the rotation.

“I think pitching in a regular major league game sharpens me up a little bit,” he explained. “It’s nice to be in the flow of a real game. I don’t look at spring training results, hardly at all. It’s about working on things. It’s about the process.”

Against the Blue Jays, Feltner looked very much like the pitcher who dominated hitters during the second half of the 2024 season. Over his last 15 starts, he posted a 2.98 ERA, the first Rockies starter with a sub-3.00 ERA through a 15-start span since German Marquez during his All-Star campaign in 2021.

The Rockies are waiting for Feltner to pitch like that again.

“He has what it takes to be an All-Star in this league,” new pitching coach Alon Leichman told me early in spring training. “He has some really cool pitches, and once he puts it all together, he will be a force in this league.”

Goodman concurred.

“I think you saw spurts of that the other night,” he said. “I 100% agree with Alon. I think it’s about Ryan taking that next step forward. It’s about being more in the attack mode instead of trying to be too fine. I think he did that well the other night. When he got to two strikes, he was putting guys away. I definitely think he has the stuff to be an All-Star.”

Manager Warren Schaeffer knows what he must see from Feltner.

“Baseball is a game of consistency,” Schaeffer said. “The greatest players are all consistent. ‘Felt’ needs to do exactly what he did the other night, in terms of his mentality. He was aggressive and got ahead in counts. That’s his formula. He knows that. He doesn’t need to change.

“It’s just a matter of putting it together, outing after outing, like big-league pitchers do.”

There is no question that Feltner has the want-to. Four months after fracturing his skull, he pitched five scoreless innings vs. the Padres in San Diego. Last season was a lost season due to back and shoulder injuries, but he revamped his offseason game plan to become a stronger pitcher and a better athlete.

Perhaps this season can be the season. 

“I think I’m in a good place,” he said. “I’m ready to put a full season together.”

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