{"id":668651,"date":"2026-04-07T16:07:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/668651\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T16:07:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:07:18","slug":"why-tomoyuki-sugano-believes-in-what-the-colorado-rockies-are-building-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/668651\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Tomoyuki Sugano Believes in What the Colorado Rockies Are Building"},"content":{"rendered":"

The return on investment is paying off so far. Colorado Rockies<\/a> starter Tomoyuki Sugano <\/a>is off to a great start to his 2026 campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sugano, 36, had himself another solid outing against the Philadelphia Phillies<\/a>, tossing six innings with five strikeouts and allowing just one earned run, four hits, and one walk in a 4-1 Rockies win.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Sugano Helps Colorado Avoid a Sweep<\/p>\n

The Rockies needed a win this past weekend, and they got it. It\u2019s the first time they beat the Phillies since May 26, 2024. The bullpen stepped up, outfielder Mickey Moniak<\/a> hit two home runs, and Sugano delivered once again.<\/p>\n

The Japanese-born player held up his end in his first start against the Toronto Blue Jays when he allowed just one run and had four strikeouts. The Rockies<\/a> won that game 14-5, and now against the Phillies, he didn\u2019t make a mistake giving up home runs to tough hitters such as Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s impressive to have a veteran pitcher like Sugano make his first two starts against two very talented teams. He answered the challenge, and he thrived. Sugano signed a one-year deal in the off-season, and his acquisition may go down as a steal for the Rockies’ season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Getting adjusted to the big league system is something every foreign ballplayer experiences. Some of the adjustments or transitions can be quite difficult. For some players, they go with the flow and put their full trust in the coaches and organizations.<\/p>\n

Sugano’s Faith in the Pitching Coaches<\/p>\n

Sugano spoke with the media and used a translator to express his opinion on the Rockies’ pitch selection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never experienced pitch calling from the dugout in my previous teams,\u201d Sugano said. \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot that I can say about it since I\u2019ve only pitched two games this season, but we\u2019ve got really good communication before the game, like leaning into the game. So I feel pretty confident in what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Confidence is a key word that\u2019s often used in sports, and it\u2019s a likable term as well. As long as he feels confident and comfortable, then it\u2019s a recipe for success. It\u2019s still a long season. Sugano can keep this up if he stays in command and control of his pitches. Some good perks come with being a veteran pitcher. At this stage of his career, he has seen a little bit of everything when he approaches a hitter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sugano has a 1-0 record with a 1.69 ERA to go with nine strikeouts and a 0.84 WHIP. Rockies fans are tuning in to see if he can come through again in his next start.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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