Robert Stephenson had a pretty good year out of the Rockies bullpen after coming over from the Reds, posting a 3.13 ERA and 3.63 FIP in 46 innings. His FIP was identical to his very good 2019 season, and his 9.1% walk rate was a career low over a full season. Since the Rockies are always looking for relief help, let’s take some time to go over what made Stephenson successful in 2021 and whether that good performance can see an encore in 2022.
Stephenson throws hard. His four-seamer averaged 96.5 MPH, good for 90th percentile across the Majors, and went close to 100 MPH when he maxed out.