TODAY: The Rockies announced that Marquez has been activated from the IL. Right-hander has been optioned to Double-A to make room for Marquez on the active roster. July 13: The Rockies are set to activate right-hander from the 60-day injured list tomorrow, manager Bud Black told reporters (including ) last night. Colorados 40-man roster currently stands at 39, meaning the club will only need to make a corresponding active roster move to activate Marquez unle s they add another player to the 40-man prior to activating him. Marquez, 29, made it just four starts into the 2023 season before in early May of last year. At the time, the former All Star was a pending free agent, but the sides hammered out a last September that has allowed Marquez to complete his rehab in a familiar organization and re-establish his value ahead of free agency, which now looms after the 2025 season. For the Rockies, the move allowed them to retain a player who has shown the rare ability to pitch well while calling Coors Field home. From 2018 to 2021, Marquez posted a 4.22 ERA that was 17% better than average by ERA+ and an even stronger 3.70 FIP acro s 106 starts for the Rockies. Thats the version of Marquez the club surely hopes theyll be adding back to their rotation tomorrow, although its worth noting that the rightys 2022 season demonstrated some cause for concern as he posted an eye-popping 6.70 ERA in 16 starts at Coors Jakson Reetz Jersey despite an excellent 3.34 ERA in 15 starts on the road. Marquez is slated to take the ball tomorrow in a start against the Mets in New York, and is expected to throw between 75 and 90 pitches in his return to the mound. The Rockies, with a dismal 33-62 record this season, will not be factoring into the postseason picture in 2024 regardle s of how well the right-hander performs in his return to action. With that being said, its at least feasible that a strong start from the righty over the next few weeks could impact the clubs thinking ahead of the trade deadline on July 30. If Marquez can return to the clubs rotation looking healthy and effective, it would add a quality starter to a rotation that could make the club more comfortable dealing away pieces from its rotation. Earlier this summer, the Rockies were reportedly for right-hander and lefty while also receiving interest in righty . Quantrill has pitched to solid results in his first season with Colorado, posting 4.13 ERA (110 ERA+) in 19 starts despite a lackluster 4.77 FIP thanks in part to a career-best 46.4% groundball rate. Gomber, meanwhile, has posted a 4.61 ERA thats e sentially league average (99 ERA+) after adjusting for park factors. Feltner has been the least impre sive of the three in terms of on-field results with a lackluster 5.02 ERA, although more advanced metrics such as SIERA (4.13) and xERA (4.04) look much more favorably upon him thanks to his microscopic 6.5% walk rate and an ability to limit hard contact. Dealing any of those controllable players would be tough for a rotation that already has the leagues worst ERA, but if Marquez can prove himself capable of returning to the top of the clubs rotation that would go a long way to helping round out a rotation that already with right-hander earlier this month. Luis Matos Jersey