NASHVILLE, tenn. — The Rockies' bullpen reclamation project began Tuesday at baseball's winter meetings when they signed veteran right-handed relievers Jason Motte and Chad Qualls.
Colorado's relief corps was in shambles in 2015, as illustrated by its 4.70 ERA and 249 walks issued — both major-league worsts. The Rockies hope the duo will add stability, leadership and shutdown innings.
Heading into spring training, Motte is a leading candidate to be the closer in 2016, with Qualls probably filling a setup role.
"Our bullpen, especially late last year, was very, very young," manager Walt Weiss said. "Some experience and some presence from these guys will help.