Jason Motte: Reliable Rockies Setup Man For 2016?

Motte isn’t going to re-discover his pre-Tommy John form, but he did show improved control in his second year removed from TJ surgery. His K/9 used to sit around 9.00, and now it appears to have settled around 6.00. He can’t toy with hitters anymore, but he posted the best walk rate and lowest pull rate of his career in 2015, as he did well for the Cubs. This earned him a job with the Rockies, and while Jake McGee should open the year as the closer, Motte looks to be the primary setup man. His 2014 fastball averaged 93.9 MPH, and he tried to compensate by throwing a cutter 38.8% of the time. This didn’t really work. Last year he got his fastball back up to 95 MPH and threw it 83.9% of the time, which he appears to be much more comfortable doing. His peripherals weren’t the prettiest, posting a 3.61 FIP and 4.21 SIERA, and his fly ball rate of 47.1% was a career high and that can scream “danger zone” when you bring that to Coors Field. Sustained command of his fastball will be everything for Motte in 2016, and if he keeps that going then he should rack up the holds this year and could step in to close should something happen to McGee.