The Rockies are doing this one thing better than almost anyone in MLB

DENVER — It’s a new world for the Colorado Rockies with president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta putting a more analytically-based stamp on the organization. But it’s a new game for all of Major League Baseball with the Automated Ball-Strike system and the ability to challenge calls entering the major-league level in the regular season for the first time this year, and it’s added a new — and sometimes game-altering — dimension to the sport.

It’s changed the flow of games. It’s dulled the importance of pitch framing. Another layer of drama has been added to the pitcher-catcher confrontation. And teams and players have begun developing strategies for the system, with a limit of two failed challenges per game.

Some are better than others. And by one metric of measuring success in ABS challenges, the Rockies are MLB’s best.

As reported by ESPN in its examination of where teams stack up in ABS just under two months into the season, Colorado is tied with the Minnesota Twins for most runs above expectation from its challenges, at plus-4.4 so far this season. The data is collected by Statcast.

In runs gained per challenge, the Rockies sit sixth in MLB, at 0.12.

Most of the Rockies’ success comes from behind the plate, where the Rockies have gained 3.8 runs over expected; that leads MLB, 0.7 runs clear of the Twins.

With 123 challenges in all heading into Tuesday’s play, only Minnesota has challenged more calls. Rockies batters have made 55 challenges; their catchers have challenged 65 pitches from behind the plate, while their pitchers have three challenges.

ROCKIES’ RETURNING ALL-STAR HAS BEEN AMONG MLB’S BEST AT CHALLENGES BEHIND THE PLATE

Hunter Goodman has developed one of MLB’s better sets of eyes for challenges. His 66-percent success rate entering Tuesday’s play ranks 11th among 38 catchers with at least 20 challenges so far this year.

No. 2 catcher Brett Sullivan checks in at 57 percent on his 30 challenges; he ranks 23rd.

At the plate, Goodman and Edouard Julien lead Rockies batters with eight challenges. Julien has been successful on five of them, good for a 62.5-percent rate. But Goodman’s challenges haven’t been quite as fruitful in the batter’s box; he’s just 2-for-8 — 25 percent.

Related

Rockies lose ninth-straight at home, conclude 0-6 homestandLarry Walker statue unveiled at Coors FieldRockies fall to 0-5 in homestand, drop eighth-straight at Coors FieldRockies’ early lead vanishes as Guardians pull away for routFreeland leaves due to neck tightness as Rockies fall in extra inningsRockies fall to Dodgers as Ohtani launches another homer at their expense