GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Kyle Freeland, the left-hander who finished fourth in voting for the National League Cy Young Award last year, was named by manager Bud Black as the Rockies’ starter for opening day at Miami on Thursday.
Last year, Freeland, the Denver native and graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA, the lowest ERA by a Colorado starter over a full season in franchise history. Freeland pitched 202 u2153 innings, the first Rockies pitcher to reach 200 innings since Ubaldo Jimenez in 2010.
The 25-year-old acknowledged the validation of getting the opening day nod, but remained leveled about it, too.