The Rockies reassigned Koch to minor-league camp Monday.
Koch made 38 appearances out of the Colorado bullpen in 2023 and made a strong case in spring training for a roster spot with a 3.52 ERA and 9:2 K:BB in 7.2 innings in Cactus League play, but the Rockies ultimately didn't have room for him. The 33-year-old will likely head to Triple-A Albuquerque to begin the season and will look to continue impressing in the Pacific Coast League with the hope of getting a call-up.
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Rockies' Matt Koch: Re-signs with Colorado
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Koch signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Koch appeared in 39 games for the Rockies in 2023, posting a 5.12 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 38.2 innings. He'll compete for a job in Colorado's Opening Day bullpen.
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Rockies' Matt Koch: Outrighted to Triple-A
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Koch went unclaimed off waivers Wednesday and was sent outright to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Koch split time between Colorado and Albuquerque in 2023, turning in better numbers at the major-league level with a 5.12 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 38.2 innings. Koch will have the right to elect free agency during the offseason, and he figures to at least draw a minor-league deal for 2024 if he choses to leave the Rockies.
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Rockies' Matt Koch: Opening bullpen game
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Koch will be the first pitcher on the mound in what's expected to be a bullpen game for the Rockies against the Twins on Saturday, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.
Koch hasn't pitched more than two innings in any of his 37 relief appearances this season, so don't expect him to last much longer than that this time around. The Rockies haven't announced who (if anyone) will be tasked with handling the bulk relief role behind him.
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Rockies' Matt Koch: Collects first win
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Koch (1-0) earned the win Tuesday against the Brewers. He allowed one hit and zero walks while striking out one over 1.2 scoreless innings.
Koch entered a tied ballgame one out into the eighth inning and was able to keep the Brewers' bats quiet through the end of the ninth. The Rockies' offense was then able to take advantage of the Milwaukee bullpen's command issues and score four runs in the 10th inning. Since he was selected from Triple-A Albuquerque in late June, Koch has proven himself to be one of the Rockies' more reliable bullpen assets with a minuscule 1.42 ERA and 0.68 WHIP through 19 innings.
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Rockies' Matt Koch: Selected to MLB bullpen
Rotowire
Colorado selected Koch's contract from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday.
Koch was struggling to the tune of a 7.27 ERA through 34.2 innings this season at the Triple-A level, but the Rockies are desperate for fresh bullpen arms. The 32-year-old has made only four major-league appearances since the end of the 2019 season.
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Mariners' Matt Koch: Outrighted to minors
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The Mariners outrighted Koch to Triple-A Tacoma after he cleared waivers Thursday.
Koch's stay on the Mariners' 40-man roster and in the big-league bullpen lasted just over two weeks before he was designated for assignment last Friday. He appeared in four games for Seattle, giving up four earned runs on five hits and a walk over 4.1 innings.
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Mariners' Matt Koch: Designated for assignment
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Koch was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Friday.
Koch had been with the team for just over two weeks, allowing four runs in 4.1 innings of relief. He'll be removed from the 40-man roster to clear space for Mitch Haniger, who returned from the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.
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Mariners' Matt Koch: Contract selected by Seattle
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Koch's contract was selected by the Mariners on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Koch began the regular season at Triple-A Tacoma and struck out five in two innings during a pair of relief appearances. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019 and should serve mainly in a low-leverage role out of the Mariners' bullpen.
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Indians' Matt Koch: Joins Triple-A Columbus
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Koch was assigned to Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.
Koch last pitched in 2019 with the Diamondbacks, where he had a 9.15 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 20.2 innings. He also saw time with Triple-A Reno, but posted an underwhelming 7.38 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 100 innings, mainly as a starter, in the minors. Koch is unlikely to play much of a role in the majors in 2021.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Clears waivers
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Koch cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Reno on Friday.
No team wanted to claim Koch after he posted a 9.15 ERA in 20.2 innings of relief to start the season. With a career 4.88 ERA and a 13.1 percent strikeout rate, there's little reason to believe he'll be a significant big-league asset any time soon.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Designated for assignment
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Koch was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Koch was quite poor in 20.2 innings of relief, posting a 9.15 ERA while walking just 9.4 percent of opposing batters. With a career 4.88 ERA in 125.1 innings and a considerably worse 5.99 FIP, it doesn't appear particularly likely that he'll be claimed off waivers. Jon Duplantier was called up to take his spot in the bullpen.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Needed again for length
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Koch allowed two runs on two hits, two walks and two hit batsmen while striking out one over 4.1 innings of relief in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Cubs.
Starter Merrill Kelly had issues with his command throughout his 3.2 innings, walking seven and departing after 109 pitches. That's the ideal situation for Koch, who lost out on a bid to be a starter during spring training. This was the second time he's thrown four-plus innings in relief. It's been a rocky transition to the bullpen for Koch, who has given up 17 runs and six home runs over 13.1 innings.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Scratched from spring start
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Koch was scratched from his upcoming spring debut Friday due to arm fatigue.
It's possible that this is just a minor spring maintenance issue, though it's not a great sign for a pitcher to fatigued before game action even starts. Nick Green will start the team's Cactus League opener in his place.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Allows one run in spot start
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Koch allowed one run on five hits and three walks while striking out two over 4.1 innings in Tuesday's win over the Dodgers. He did not factor into the decision.
Koch was called on for a spot start and was only stretched out enough to throw 68 pitches (42 strikes). The righty was serviceable in that role Tuesday, lowering his ERA to 4.15, but if he makes another appearance over the final week of the season, it'll likely be out of the bullpen.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Shines in long relief
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Koch struck out seven over four scoreless innings out of the bullpen Tuesday in the Diamondbacks' 9-1 loss to the Cubs. He gave up three hits and issued no walks in the 51-pitch appearance.
Koch's performance in long relief was one of the few silver linings on the day for the Diamondbacks, whose fading playoff hopes took another hit with the team dropping a fourth consecutive game. Though Matt Andriese received the starting nod in place of the injured Clay Buchholz (elbow), Koch could enter the rotation the next time the fifth spot comes up. Koch was the better performer of the two pitchers by a significant margin, as Andriese was tagged for five runs while lasting only two innings.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Will stick in bullpen
Rotowire
Koch will head back to the bullpen with Matt Andriese set to replace the injured Clay Buchholz (elbow) in the rotation Tuesday against the Cubs, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
After Buchholz was shut down after experiencing elbow stiffness during a pregame bullpen session last Thursday in Colorado, Koch was pressed into a starting role on short notice. Considering the circumstances, Koch did well to eat three innings for the Diamondbacks, though he was tagged for four runs on eight hits and two walks. With Koch having posted a 4.83 ERA and a measly 4.5 K/9 over 13 starts with the big club this season, the Diamondbacks weren't eager to look his way again for starts over the final two weeks, so they'll instead give Andriese a chance to prove his worth in the rotation.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Allows four runs in loss
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Koch (5-5) threw three innings and took the loss Thursday, yielding four runs on eight hits and two walks in the 10-3 defeat against Colorado. He struck out two and gave up two home runs.
Koch was called on to spot start after Clay Buchholz (elbow) became a late scratch. Nolan Arenado took him deep in the first inning and Trevor Story hit a two-run blast off him in the third. The 27-year-old will likely stick around in the bullpen down the stretch.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Promoted from Triple-A
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Koch was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Saturday.
The right-hander enjoyed a sizzling start to the 2018 season, spinning a 2.59 ERA in his first five starts, but Koch soon fell apart afterward with a 5.80 ERA in the following nine outings and lost his rotation spot in late June. He'll return to the majors as a depth piece in the bullpen with potential to step in for an emergency start.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Called up from minors
Rotowire
Koch was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Thursday, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.
Koch will likely be utilized out of the club's bullpen over the next few days, though he could wind up re-joining Arizona's rotation after the All-Star break should Shelby Miller (elbow) require an extended stay on the disabled list. Across 13 appearances (12 starts) for the Diamondbacks this year, Koch has logged a 4.40 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with just 38 strikeouts in 71.2 innings.
