Surgeons snaked a camera into Tyler Anderson‘s left knee, but the agony only came later. The Rockies’ crafty left-hander was forced to look at a season passing him by.

“I felt like for the last two months I was a surfer waking up every morning watching the most beautiful, perfect waves and I couldn’t get in the water,” he said.

Anderson returned last week, and not a game too soon. With his team angling toward a wild-card postseason berth, and with less than two weeks remaining in the season, the Rockies, in a roundabout way, put their band back together. The pitching rotation they penciled in to begin the season is finally intact.

After riding a rookie-heavy rotation for five months, Colorado has topped its starting quintet with experience for the stretch run. Anderson, the lone lefty, is joined by Jon Gray, Tyler Chatwood, Chad Bettis and German Marquez, the only rookie.

“Something special is happening with this team,” said Gray, the 25-year-old atop Colorado’s rotation. “It feels like we have a lot more weapons now. Guys who are just now getting their feet wet, like Anderson, will only get better. We’re in a good spot.” Related Articles September 20, 2020 Rockies’ starter Antonio Senzatela emerges as bright spot in 2020

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With them comes a bonus: rest. Anderson (left knee surgery), Bettis (cancer treatment), Gray (broken foot) and Chatwood (bullpen demotion) each had their innings limited this season. Marquez has carried the heaviest burden, throwing 145 innings, second on the club behind fellow rookie Kyle Freeland. Gray, Bettis and Anderson have not yet reached 100 innings.

Anderson on Saturday flew through his first start since June 25, leading a three-hit shutout of the San Diego Padres. He gave up just two hits in six innings before Freeland and Hoffman, both starters earlier this season, combined for three innings of one-hit ball.

“This is where I wanted to be the whole time, competing,” Anderson said. “We’ve had a lot of depth and that’s helped a lot. To be able to come back and have (manager) Buddy (Black) trust me in these situations, he’s shown a lot of trust, that’s always good.”

Chatwood, in his three starts since returning from a bullpen demotion Sept. 5, has allowed just one run over 13 2/3 innings.

Gray on Sunday pitched his 11th consecutive game with three or fewer runs allowed, striking out 11 Padres batters. He efficiently threw just 63 pitches through five scoreless innings before a long rain delay cut his day short.

Bettis, Colorado’s eldest starter at 28 years, gave up just three runs in his first 14 innings after returning in August. After struggling in just one-third of an inning last week at Arizona, the Rockies pushed back his turn in the rotation to Saturday at San Diego.

That is a luxury Black can play with. An off day Monday and an expanded September roster gives Colorado’s manager room to maneuver. He put Freeland (11-10), the team’s win leader, in the bullpen, along with Hoffman (6-5) and Antonio Senzatela (10-5), all of them starters. That freed space for more mature arms in the rotation, a valuable postseason commodity.

“They’re just a little more seasoned because of their service time,” Black said. “Just who they are, it’s probably more comforting for us to run those guys out there.”

If the Rockies reach the postseason their pitching hierarchy will probably look like it does now.

Gray holds the top spot, followed by a mix of Anderson, Chatwood and Bettis. Marquez, with relief experience and a style that suits short stints, may move to the bullpen with Freeland, a valuable lefty, according to Black. Hoffman and Senzatela would be on the bullpen bubble. And there is wiggle room for more adjustments, in case Chatwood or Bettis falter in the final days.

But Black’s trust in experience is shaping Colorado’s rotation in the crunch.

“We’re probably one of the few teams who have used less than 10 starting pitchers this season,” Black said. “But this time of year, every inning is important. Regardless of the game.”

Rox rotation shape

With 12 games remaining as the Rockies angle toward a postseason berth, their rotation has taken shape again with experience. Who’s in and who’s out going forward:

Rotation

RHP Jon Gray (8-4, 3.75), the flame-throwing rotation anchor.

LHP Tyler Anderson (5-5, 5.28), 27-year-old lefty back from injury.

RHP Chad Bettis (1-3, 6.23), the senior member of the staff at 28.

RHP Tyler Chatwood (8-12, 4.57), has proved to be a road warrior.

RHP German Marquez (10-7, 4.41), 22-year-old rookie with 98-mph fastball.

Starters in the bullpen

LHP Kyle Freeland (11-10, 3.98), 24-year-old rookie leads the team in innings.

RHP Antonio Senzatela (10-5, 4.69), at 22 he is just a year out of Double-A.

RHP Jeff Hoffman (6-5, 5.40), like Senzatela, he may wait for 2018’s rotation.

Looking ahead …

Joe Mahoney, Getty Images German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Coors Field on Sept. 3, 2017 in Denver.

Ed Zurga, Getty Images German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Aug. 24, 2017 in Kansas City, Mo.

Matthew Stockman, Getty Images Starting pitcher German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the New York Mets at Coors Field on Aug. 3, 2017 in Denver.



David Zalubowski, The Associated Press Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez delivers a pitch to New York Mets' Asdrubal Cabrera in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, in Denver.

Matthew Stockman, Getty Images Starting pitcher German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field on July 22, 2017 in Denver.

Startung pitcher German Marquez of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Chicagpo Cubs at Coors Field on May 10, 2017 in Denver.



John Leyba, The Denver Post Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez (48) delivers a pitch int he first inning against the Washington Nationals on April 25, 2017 in Denver, Colorado at Coors Field.

Rockies RHP German Marquez (10-7, 4.41 ERA) at Giants RHP Johnny Cueto (7-8, 4.58), 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, AT&T SportsNet; 850 AM

The Giants are one of baseball’s worst teams, but Cueto is usually the kind of pitcher who can beat any team. But he’s having a bad year, as evidenced by his last start when he lasted only 3 ⅔ innings vs. the Dodgers, surrendering four runs on six hits and four walks while striking out eight. Cueto, however, did shut down the Rockies on Sept. 5 at Coors Field, allowing one run over five innings and striking out seven. Still, his ERA (4.58) and WHIP (1.41) are his worst since his rookie season in 2008. Marquez, so good most of the season, has hit the wall. He’s given up four earned runs in two of his three September starts and didn’t make it out of the fourth inning in his start last Tuesday at Arizona. The Giants have hammered Marquez both times they have faced seen him, scoring 11 earned runs over 8 ⅓ innings, hanging an 11.88 ERA on the rookie right-hander. — Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post

Wednesday: Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (8-12, 4.57 ERA) at Giants LHP Matt Moore (5-14, 5.39), 1:45 p.m., AT&T SportsNet

Thursday: Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (5-5, 5.28) at Padres LHP Clayton Richard (7-14, 4.82), 8:10 p.m., AT&T SportsNet

Friday: Rockies Jon Gray (8-4, 3.75) at Padres RHP Jordan Lyles (1-3, 7.35), 8:10 p.m., AT&T SportsNet