'Outstanding' Gomber gives Rockies food for thought

DENVER -- His Rockies were down nine runs when he entered in the second inning. But left-hander Austin Gomber pitched as if Wednesday was the start of something much better.

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Gomber’s 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball were the best part of the Rockies’ 16-4 loss to the Rangers at Coors Field. But his performance can’t be separated from what forced him into the game -- starter José Ureña allowing nine runs in 1 1/3 innings.

Gomber was in the Rockies’ starting rotation last year and to begin this year. Much inconsistency and a little circumstance have kept him in the bullpen lately. The unpredictable bullpen work pattern has challenged Gomber. But holding the Rangers to two baserunners Wednesday was, at least, the definition of making the most of his current job.

“You don’t get the side sessions, so it’s a little difficult to, quote-unquote, work on things,” Gomber said. “But there’s a positive to just competing your way out of it. I don’t have days to overthink things. I’m pretty much ready to pitch every day, for the most part.”

On an awful day -- even though the 3-2 homestand was a plus -- manager Bud Black saw a performance that would work in any role.

“‘Gomby’ threw the ball outstanding,” Black said. “I liked the change. The fastball was crisp. He threw a couple good curveballs. A four-pitch mix -- the slider came into play against [Nathaniel] Lowe and [Corey] Seager. Efficient. He got his outs and worked fast.”

Gomber moved to the bullpen at the start of the second half, when Antonio Senzatela returned from a shoulder injury. He replaced an ineffective Chad Kuhl on July 24 and held the Brewers to one run in 3 2/3 innings of a 10-9 Rockies loss.

Since then, the majority of Gomber’s opportunities have come in blowout losses like Wednesday’s. When last seen, he replaced Senzatela after Senzatela’s season-ending knee injury last Thursday. Gomber allowed five runs on three hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings, memorable only for a pinch-hit grand slam by Albert Pujols, who eclipses the game’s all-time greats with seemingly every swing.

But in a mop-up role, the goal is not to end up in the record books but to earn chances in competitive games. Or, in Gomber’s case, pitch before anyone knows whether a game is competitive.

Ureña handed Gomber not only a deficit but a runner at second with one out in the second. Nothing else happened with Gomber in the game, and that was fine with him. A two-out walk in the second and Ezequiel Duran’s leadoff double in the fifth were the only baserunners against Gomber.

Duran’s double set up Gomber’s best sequence, when he forced two grounders to the left side and a liner to center.

The season has escaped the Rockies, much in the way of Wednesday’s game. But like with Gomber, every situation leads to questions.

Ureña joined the team June 7 and has had good outings, but some harrowing ones, such as Wednesday’s and 10 runs (seven earned) in three-plus innings against the Dodgers on July 28. Ureña will be a free agent at season’s end.

So will Kuhl, who has been on the injured list with a right hip flexor strain since early August. Kuhl and Gomber were considered candidates to replace Senzatela in the rotation. But Kuhl had a solid rehab appearance at Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday, and he is in line to start Friday against the Mets.

There isn’t a free agency decision with Gomber, who will be eligible for arbitration for the first time going into 2023. But everyone involved could use clarity on his future. Last year, he started regularly (9-9, 4.53 ERA in 23 starts) and sparkled at Coors Field (5-1, 2.09 in nine starts). He missed the end of the season with a back injury. This season, Gomber’s Coors ERA sits at 5.12, as consistent location has escaped him.

“I got off track -- I was trying to do different things to not be so predictable,” Gomber said. “But looking back, I have a recipe for what works for me, and I strayed away from that. It’s just looking back at what I had success with last year and getting back to that.”

Does Black end Gomber’s bullpen break and restore him to the rotation in place of Ureña?

“We talk about that all the time,” Black said. “We’ll continue to address our rotation as we move forward, but nothing [is] in the plans right now.”

Gomber has faith he’ll be in the Rockies’ starting rotation plans.

“I think everybody in the building believes that I’m gonna start games at some point,” Gomber said. “Whether or when, that’s not my decision. Obviously, I would love to be starting, but we’ve had guys that have been pitching better than me and deserved it more. That’s above my pay grade, but I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say I see myself going forward as a starting pitcher.”