Chris Rusin

The Rockies gave Rusin a full-time role in the team's bullpen last season, and the transition was a smooth one as he logged 85 innings in 60 appearances while pitching to a 2.65 ERA. The overall workload was nearly identical to his 2016 season, and the skills appear to be pretty stable at this point. Rusin's ability to get groundballs makes him a useful multi-inning reliever in Colorado (58.5 percent GB%), and while he's not overpowering (7.5 K/9), he doesn't give up much in the way of walks (2.0 BB/9) or homers (0.95 HR/9) when you consider that he pitches half of his games at Coors Field. It's interesting to note that Rusin was missing more bats during the second half (8.5 K/9), and a slight bump in strikeout rate over a full season would go a long way toward helping him keep his ERA in the low-3.00 range in 2018. He'll likely to return to the same role, making most of his appearances in the seventh inning and earlier.

Although Rusin stated that he prefers being a starter rather than a reliever, his 2016 stats suggested that he should stick to being a long reliever in the Rockies bullpen. The left-hander was afforded the opportunity to start eight games early on in the season, and the results were unspectacular: 4.53 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 6.6 K/9. Unfortunately, he headed to the disabled list with a shoulder injury just as he had carved out a full-time role in the rotation. Upon his return, there was no room for him in the rotation, so the 29-year-old went back to the bullpen and posted a 3.03 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a career-best 9.1 K/9 over the last two months of the season. Rusin doesn't overwhelm anyone with his repertoire, but he has proven to be a serviceable member of the Rockies pitching staff. That being said, he'll likely only garner occasional spot starts considering the wealth of young starting pitchers the Rockies have and the success the lefty had out of the bullpen.

As a result of simply staying healthy, Rusin was able to maintain a spot in the Rockies' starting rotation for most of the year. His stats were largely unimpressive, as Rusin could not find success at home or on the road, and he struggled equally against left- and right-handed hitters. To his credit, Rusin did turn in two complete-game gems during the campaign, and finished second on the team with 13 quality starts. The left-hander posted a 2.31 GB/FB, which would seem to bode well for a pitcher at Coors Field, but a .346 BABIP for a non-strikeout pitcher is very troubling. While he should be in the conversation for a spot in the Rockies' rotation this spring, Rusin may have trouble finding consistent starts in the majors.

The second-half productivity of rotation additions Kyle Hendricks and Tsuyoshi Wada prevented Rusin from getting any starts with the Cubs last season, as the left-hander instead stuck with Triple-A Iowa for nearly all of 2014. While there, he compiled a 4.31 ERA and a weak 6.0 K/9 rate over 146.1 innings, numbers that ultimately resulted in the Cubs dumping him from the 40-man roster. Though he’s never been more than adequate at any level above Double-A, the Rockies saw enough in Rusin to scoop him up off the waiver wire. His inability to make batters whiff isn’t as serious of a flaw at Coors Field, where generating groundballs is the more vital key to success, but it seems likely that the Rockies would prefer to keep him on hand as organizational starting depth in the minors. He’ll likely receive the call to the Rockies when injuries dictate a need for a spot starter or long reliever, roles in which the 28-year-old will offer minimal fantasy utility.

Though a combined 3.56 ERA between Triple-A Iowa and the Cubs may indicate that Rusin has some potential in the majors, look at that strikeout rate. Five strikeouts per nine innings isn't going to get it done, and his low BABIP and high strand rate have more to do with his ERA than any special Rusinesque powers. He started 13 games for the Cubs last year, and if he manages to make it into the rotation in 2014, it's doubtful he'll have a sub-4.00 ERA again.

After an undistinguished stint in the high minors, Rusin, like several other Cubs pitchers who were nowhere near ready, got seven starts in the majors and predictably got shelled. The lefty was able to induce groundballs, but his 88 mph fastball and solid but unspectacular command likely ticket him for Triple-A in 2013.