The Rockies have signed veteran righty reliever to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, . Hell compete for a job in manager Bud Blacks bullpen this spring. Curti s, 30, has pitched in parts of six big league seasons but didnt break out until a terrific 2020 showing with the Rays (1.80 ERA, 25.3% strikeout rate, 3% walk rate in 25 innings). Tampa Bay traded him to the Marlins the following offseason, and Miami flipped him to the Brewers after a strong start to his 2021 campaign. Unfortunately for both Curti s and the Brewers, the right-hander suffered a torn ligament in his elbow just two weeks after being acquired and wound up undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Mets signed Curtis after the Brewers non-tendered him, knowing hed mi s his first season with the team. That pact included a club option that the Mets exercised, and Curti s returned to pitch 19 2/3 frames for New York this past season. His 4.58 ERA, 19.8% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate were all down relative to his 2020-21 seasons, however, and Curti s wound up hitting the injured list with discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow. His ligament remained intact, but the right-hander still required surgery to remove loose bodies from the elbow. The Mets announced at the time of the procedure that he was expected to be ready for spring training. Despite that favorable timeline, the Mets removed Curti s from the 40-man roster following the season. He elected free agency, as is his right as a player with more than three years of MLB service. If Curti s is back at full strength, hell likely have a good chance to break a thin Rockies bullpen. The rightys track record is fairly limited, but from 2020-23 he pitched 89 innings of 3.24 ERA ball with a combined 23.2% strikeout rate, 6.3% walk rate Ricky Rubio Jersey and 40.8% ground-ball rate. Curti s 94.5 mph average fastball with the Mets in 2023 was right in line with his pre-surgery levels from 2020-21. Theres some unknown now that hes undergone a second elbow operation, of course, but its encouraging that hed regained his velocity following the Tommy John procedure. As things stand, the Rockies bullpen is practically wide open. Right-hander is the favorite to close games after notching 11 saves and logging a 3.72 ERA in 75 innings out of the pen last year. should have a spot locked down after recording a team-high 84 1/3 innings with a respectable 4.27 ERA. Beyond that, things are murky. The Rockies let , their top 2023 performer, depart in free agency. He signed a one-year, $3MM deal with the Reds. Veterans and were traded at last years deadline. Right-hander is still under contract for another season, but he followed his All-Star 2022 campaign with a tough 2023 season that saw him return to the injured list owing to a long-running battle with anxiety that has at multiple points led to the yips. Bard eventually pitched 49 1/3 innings with a 4.56 ERA but did so with nearly a walk per inning and with more total walks i sued than strikeouts recorded. posted a 6.06 ERA in his return from elbow surgery, albeit in a sample of just 16 1/3 innings. The Rox picked up veteran lefty in November after the Rays placed him on waivers, and hell look to bounce back after a down showing in 2023. Other options in the Colorado pen include , and Rule 5 pickup . Curti s will compete with that group as well as a slate of non-roster veterans including , and . If Curti s makes the club and finds succe s in that harsh pitching environment, he can be controlled through the 2026 season via arbitration. Derrick Rose Jersey