For years, the bullpen has been more of a question than an answer for the Rockies. This season, that question is being asked in a different way.

Through the first 23 games, Colorado’s bullpen posted a combined 3.49 ERA over the course of 111.0 innings. That was the second-most innings pitched by any MLB team, and the Rockies have succeeded early on with the heavy workload, ranking eighth in ERA and third in strikeouts with 106.

San Diego beat Colorado 1-0 at Coors Field Tuesday night.

While a Colorado bullpen being worked heavily is nothing new at elevation, this year’s version is incorporating a new philosophy based on long relief filled with pitchers who have a history of starting.

Chase Dollander, Tanner Gordon and Antonio Senzatela combined to start 61 games as members of Colorado’s rotation in 2025. This season, however, the trio has had their outings come in relief.

Add Zach Agnos and Valente Bellozo, who is currently with Triple-A Albuquerque, with Dollander and Gordon and the Rockies have four relievers throw 4.0 innings or more in a single outing. Relievers eclipsing the four-inning mark has happened a franchise-record 10 times already in 2026, including Dollander’s 6.0 innings on Tuesday.

Last season, Senzatela threw four innings or more out of the bullpen on just two occasions, marking a season-high for a reliever. It’s a clear sign the philosophy on piggybacking starters and relievers has changed drastically.

Part of that change has come this season with a new-look Rockies pitching staff willing to try new things as well as early-season injuries to Kyle Freeland and Jose Quintana that knocked them out of the rotation that forced “bullpen games” in order to fill the gaps.

With the Rockies in the middle of a 13-game stretch without an off day, being able to use long relievers on multiple days has been a way to make sure the entire bullpen isn’t gassed before the first month of the season is over.

“It’s absolutely huge to have ‘Senza’ throw three (innings) or Agnos throw four. ‘TG’ (Gordon), he can throw four to six innings,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Looking back on it, I don’t know how we get through if we don’t have those guys do that. There are a lot of sore, tired and angry guys in the bullpen if we don’t have those guys.”

Agnos threw a career-high four innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, eating critical innings in a 7-1 loss. Already with another 3.1-inning stint under his belt as well, this year’s ask has been a marked difference from his debut year in 2025 when he went 2.0 innings just twice.

“I knew I could have given multiple innings. I didn’t know four was on the board,” Agnos said with a smile. “I think the most I threw in spring training was 1.1 so I wasn’t really expecting it, but I’m not surprised by it.

“If I need to go eat innings, I’m going to eat innings for the guys and save the bullpen.”

With a 162-game schedule, keeping arms as fresh as possible for the hottest months of the campaign is critical. It’s also presented a challenge that Agnos said he and his colleagues are glad to accept.

“It’s just a different kind of vibe than last year,” Agnos said. “They (Colorado’s coaches) are looking at these matchups and they’re playing their odds.

“It’s definitely a new dynamic and I think it gives each of us confidence knowing that I have the upper hand in this matchup. I’m throwing right now because they like my matchup against the batter, and that has made it really fun.”

***

Padres 1, Rockies 0

What happened: San Diego’s Manny Machado drew a bases-loaded walk from Chase Dollander in the sixth inning to account for the game’s only run. The 1-0 defeat was the first time the Rockies had lost by that score at Coors Field since August 1, 2006, against Milwaukee, and just the fourth time a 1-0 Rockies loss had ever happened at 20th and Blake.

On the mound: Chase Dollander threw a career-high 102 pitches in his 6.0 innings of relief work. He struck out nine Padres, including six in a row, and allowed just three hits. Only one of those hits (Jake Cronenworth’s sixth-inning double) went for extra bases.

At the plate: Colorado mustered just three singles on the night and only had one runner reach second base. That was Ezequiel Tovar, who was hit by a pitch in the second inning and then stole second.

What’s next: Colorado’s Tomoyuki Sugano (1-1, 3.92 ERA) is scheduled to square off against San Diego’s Walker Buehler (1-1, 4.58 ERA) at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday at Coors Field.