The Colorado Rockies drafted Ryan Feltner out of Ohio State University in the fourth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He debuted in 2021, getting rocked for eight runs over 6 1/3 innings pitched over two starts. In his first full season in the major leagues, Feltner showed promise. In 20 games, Feltner went 4-9 with a 5.83 ERA and an 84/35 K/BB ratio over 97 1/3 innings. Despite an unsightly ERA, Feltner’s ability to strikeout hitters made him an exciting pitcher to watch heading into 2023. He faced a setback in 2023, however, when he suffered a horrific injury.
On May 13, 2023, against the Philadelphia Phillies, Feltner was hit in the head by a line drive from outfielder Nick Castellanos. The terrifying injury left him with a skull fracture and a long road to recovery ahead of him. But he stayed determined and made his return that September against the San Diego Padres. Ryan Feltner’s performance in 2024 was his best yet, and there’s good reason to believe he could break out in 2025.
Ryan Feltner’s 2024 Performance
Feltner posted a 4.49 ERA and a 138/52 K/BB ratio over 162 1/3 IP. His 1.1 WAR was a career-best by a wide margin. He led the Rockies’ pitching staff in both ERA and Ks, while he was second in WAR. Feltner’s 7.7 K/9 was crucial for a Rockies pitching staff plagued by walks and that struggles to miss bats. His play was consistently keeping the Rockies in games. However, Feltner faced the most hard luck of any Rockies pitcher.
His 3-10 record is very deceiving. Per Statmuse, Feltner led the Rockies with 13 quality starts. Despite this, he was the victim of late rallies against the Rockies’ porous bullpen on multiple occasions. On April 30 in a road game against the Miami Marlins, Feltner was dealing. For eight innings, he completely shut down the Marlins lineup, holding them to one hit, with three Ks and 12 ground ball outs. With a reasonable pitch count, manager Bud Black sent Feltner out for the ninth to try and get his first career complete-game shutout.
However, a leadoff single followed by a hit-by-pitch and RBI double led to Black quickly going to the bullpen. Feltner was still in a great position to earn the win in arguably his greatest start as a Rockie. But two relievers combined to allow four runs, wasting Feltner’s stellar start. The Rockies would go on to lose in 10 innings, 7-6, giving Feltner the loss on the day. He experienced a similar situation on May 23 against the Oakland Athletics, when six shutout innings with six Ks was followed by an utter bullpen collapse, resulting in a 10-9 loss in 11 innings. Feltner’s record could have looked a lot different with a better bullpen and more run support at times. But he also has to work on finishing starts heading into 2025.
Finishing Starts Strong
Although the bullpen or offense let him down on multiple occasions, there were several starts where Feltner did not finish strong. Feltner’s worst inning by a decent margin was the fifth inning. In 18 games, Feltner posted a 6.66 ERA and allowed 33 hits over 24 1/3 IP. Feltner was well on his way to quality starts before repeatedly running into a big fifth inning.
This could be attributed to several things. When pitching in Colorado, a late homer can turn a quality start on its head frequently. Feltner allowed 20 home runs in 2024 and was second on Colorado with 52 walks. This creates a recipe for disaster at Coors Field. Feltner also could have tried to be too perfect late in games after seeing the bullpen blow leads frequently. But he is also still a young pitcher, and being more consistent late in starts will come with time as he gains more experience.
Feltner gave the Rockies plenty to be encouraged about after his stellar 2024. He successfully rebounded from a horrific injury and was one of the most dependable starters for Colorado. In what was far and away his best season in his young career, Feltner showed that he can be a fixture in the Rockies rotation moving forward. With a full offseason of work and more time removed from the injury, he is looking to have a strong season in 2025.
Feltner Poised for Strong 2025
Ryan Feltner already getting work in at the facility in Arizona! We are so back. pic.twitter.com/mn2hWlCylg
— Rockies Now (@Rockies_Now) February 1, 2025
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In an appearance on the MLB Morning Lineup Podcast, Rockies insider Thomas Harding pointed to Feltner as a potential breakout candidate for the Rockies. He pointed to Feltner having a stellar 2.98 ERA in his last 15 starts and a 1.78 ERA in September, part of his stellar second half for the Rockies. After going 1-9 with a 5.36 ERA in 19 first-half games, Feltner went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 11 second-half starts. Opposing lineups hit .227/.298/.359 in the second half compared to .282/.339/.434 in the first half.
After an up-and-down first half, Feltner pitched like one of the best pitchers on the Rockies in the second half. In a rotation that is seeing the return of RHP Germán Márquez and RHP Antonio Senzatela, Feltner’s growth throughout the season was an encouraging sign for 2025. While veteran LHP Austin Gomber and LHP Kyle Freeland are likely the frontrunners to earn the nod on Opening Day, Feltner pitched like a number one option in the second half. Considering Márquez and Senzatela’s injury history, the Rockies will need another dependable season out of Ryan Feltner. With what he showed in 2024, there’s a good chance they will get one.
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