Spring training 2023 has been pretty mixed until now for the Colorado Rockies. However, off the field, the strength of their bullpen has consistently reduced by the minute. Most recently, lefty pitcher Lucas Gilbreath left the team for his Tommy John surgery. Consequently, his departure opened up the spot for an experienced lefty to enter the bullpen. The management immediately lay their eyes on three-time All-Star and experienced MLB Veteran and lefty reliever, Brad Hand.

The 32-year-old reliever last played with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022, before playing for the Marlins, Padres, Guardians, Nationals, Jays, and Mets in his already 12-season-long MLB career.

Colorado Rockies continue efforts to strengthen their bullpen

Now, as reported by Ken Rosenthal from the Athletic, free-agent Hand signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Rockies including a $7 million club option for 2024 or a $500K buyout.

General Manager of the Rockies, Bill Schmidt, while talking about Hand, who made three consecutive All-Star appearances from 2017 to 2019, was filled with praises. He spoke about his experience and his signature slider, which can be used late in games. Schmidt said, “He’s a veteran left-handed reliever who’s had a lot of success in the league. With Lucas being out, he has the ability to pitch late in games.”

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Notably, Hand’s 2022 ($6 million contract with the Phillies for a year) was average at best. In the 45 innings that he pitched, he went 3-2 with an ERA of 2.80.

Following this signing, the Rockies put reliever Tyler Kinley on the 60-day IL.

Despite Hand’s vast experience, fans aren’t happy

Over the years, the Rockies have slowly transformed into a team that barely competes in the regular season. As a result, their relevance and popularity have ceased to exist in recent years. While particularly bringing that out, and expressing the Rockies’ supposed failure at creating a solid team, fans made sure to express their disappointment with this signing too.

This is how fans reacted:

All in all, what do you think about this signing? Do you think Brad Hand can add some significant weight to the Rockies’ bullpen and help them become a competitive team once again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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