This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
WASHINGTON -- Rockies right-handed pitcher Germán Márquez's form is where it needs to be, but that doesn’t mean it’s where he wants it.
“I just felt good,” Márquez said. “My fastball has been successful. I’m getting to that point where I’m going to feel right, where everything is going to go right. I’m not there yet. I have to keep working, getting better every day.”
By holding the Nationals scoreless on six hits in 5 2/3 innings of Wednesday night’s 3-1 victory, Márquez left his ERA at 2.94 over six starts since May 22. It’s his lowest ERA for a six-start period in a single season since his 2.89 mark from July 4-Aug. 6, 2021 -- the year he pitched in the All-Star Game at Coors Field.
Márquez struck out two and walked two, and was not dominant against the Nats. He used his defense -- some of it spectacular. Márquez attacked the strike zone with his fastball, and his misses weren’t sprayed all over the place.
It was much different from Márquez’s first five starts, when he posted a 9.90 ERA. At times he missed opposite where he was aiming. Coming off missing most of the last two seasons because of Tommy John right elbow surgery, he expressed disappointment and mixed that emotion with worry.
“I was a little worried, and I feel like everybody got worried,” Márquez said. “I was missing my spots. But I was working on hitting my spot, trying to gain that. I feel now I can hit my spot and get results.”
On the back end of a two-year, $20 million contract extension, Márquez’s results are helping the Rockies overcome their poor start but also could help them in the future if the team receives a haul for dealing him before the July 31 Trade Deadline. It’s not something Márquez seeks publicly or privately, but the subject hangs over a struggling team. Until then, the Rockies like how he is improving their season.
“He’s in a good spot -- he’s moving forward,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said.