Eli Whitney | February 10, 2026 | @eliwhtney10
Image credit: G Fiume/Getty Images
As they prepare to report to Scottsdale this week, the Rockies’ pitching staff will be joined by a new face. The Colorado Rockies agreed to a one-year, $5.1 million contract with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano on Tuesday morning. Sugano brings a six-pitch mix and elite control (5.3% BB rate in 2025) to Colorado, a profile that seemingly fits the bill for the new front office’s vision for potential success on the mound at altitude.
Sugano joins the club after a solid, but unspectacular 2025 MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles, where he posted a 10-10 record with a 4.64 ERA over 157 innings across 30 starts. Sugano logged consistent work in his first MLB season following 12 dominant years as an ace with the Yoimuri Giants in Japan’s NPB. His arrival should pair nicely with fellow offseason addition Michael Lorenzen, giving the Rockies two reliable veterans to help anchor a staff that struggled mightily last season.
To clear space on the 40-man roster, the Rockies placed Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list due to his ongoing chronic lower back issues (degenerative lumbar disc disease). Bryant, in the fifth year of his seven-year, $182 million deal, appeared in just 11 games in 2025 and has consistently struggled to stay on the field since joining the Rockies.
Under new President of Baseball Operations Paul DePodesta, and GM Josh Byrnes, the Rockies seems to be prioritizing affordable, proven depth as they attempt to both rebuild the roster and raise the team’s proverbial floor in the present. Sugano’s low-risk signing provides much-needed stability and potential trade value if he performs well in the first half. The veteran’s command will be tested at Coors Field, but his professional pedigree offers a steadying hand for a young rotation looking to find its footing.
Written by Eli Whitney
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