The Rockies announced that they have selected the contract of left-hander Parker Mushinski. Due to yesterday’s deadline dealings, there was a vacancy on the active roster and two on the 40-man, so no corresponding moves were needed.

Mushinski, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Rockies in the offseason. He has thrown 48 innings for Triple-A Albuquerque this year, allowing 3.48 earned runs per nine. His 23.4% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and 48.1% ground ball rate are all roughly average or better.

That will get him back to the big leagues for the first time in a couple of years. From 2022 to 2024, he served in an up-and-down role with the Astros, getting frequently shuttled between Triple-A and the majors. He tossed 33 big league innings over that span with a 5.45 ERA. He exhausted his three option seasons and got outrighted off the roster late in 2024. He became a free agent and spent last year with the Guardians on a minor league deal without getting called up.

The Rockies, as a team, have a 5.51 ERA this year. That’s the worst in the majors. Coors Field plays a role in that but there aren’t a lot of surefire options on the pitching staff. They just traded away Victor Vodnik and Antonio Senzatela. Mushinski gives the Rockies a second relief lefty behind Brennan Bernardino. If he can have some success, he is controllable for five seasons beyond this one. But since he is out of options, there’s also a chance he gets bumped off the roster at some point down the line.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images