DENVER, CO - MAY 7: Starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela #49 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after giving up a two run home run during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 7, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

DENVER — What was thought to be the strength of the Colorado Rockies entering the season has been a disappointment. Denver’s starting pitchers have strung together the worst ERA in the National League at 5.62.

The Colorado Rockies not only have a problem that sits between them and a third straight playoff appearance but their solutions have become unclear. It starts at the end really. Outside of German Marquez and Jon Gray‘s 132 innings, the Rockies five other starters have combined for a 7.35 ERA over 138.1 innings.

Even Kyle Freeland who was quite literally the best player on the entire team this year has struggled, though nobody has suggested taking him out of the rotation. And Tyler Anderson struggles can be ignored since he’ll miss the rest of the season. So it really comes down to Antonio Senzatela and Jeff Hoffman along with the current long reliever Chad Bettis to mitigate the Rockies issues.

The easy solution at this point as you read this might be to say, “Sign Dallas Keuchel.” The former Cy Young should be a solution somewhere but Rockies ownership has hinted that they won’t be spending too much more money and Keuchel is clear on his demands. Aside he wouldn’t sign until after the June, 3 draft which would mean at least a month of de-facto spring training.

What about the minors? Nobody in Triple-A who has started at least a handful of games has an ERA under 5.70… there’s a reason other than the 40-man spot that Hoffman keeps coming up. There are several guys pitching pretty well in Double-A but Jeff Bridich is vehemently pitchers skipping levels since he saw the effects of that decision on Eddie Butler. Even in the case that somebody in Double-A is the Rockies solution at some point in 2019 if fast-tracked, it’s still going to be at least a month from their promotion to Double-A until their MLB debut.

Once coveted Rangers pitching prospect Chi Chi Gonzalez and top Rockies prospects Peter Lambert and Ryan Castellani are among those as options for this season who have struggled. So too is former Rockies left-hander Jorge De La Rosa. JDLR is yet to debut in the minors outside of extended spring training and he hasn’t started since he was with Colorado in September of 2016.

Basically, this is a roundabout way of saying two of the three of Senzatela, Hoffman and Bettis need to step up. Freeland obviously needs to be better and he’d tell you that. As for the former three who are the latter portion of the rotation, their track record is not as consistent, it’s become a whole within the Rockies and Hoffman’s Friday start against Baltimore didn’t do too much to aspire confidence moving forward.

Hope has to remain. Senzatela has been great for portions of his career and has even started a playoff game. And the fifth spot, well there are a lot of names to throw out for it and by sure rule of large numbers, one has to be serviceable in the role. It is a matter of time though.

Sure, the baseball season is long and there are over 110 games left, but the preference is not to be three games under .500 so the Rockies need some answers rather quickly.