After pitching as primarily a back-of-the-rotation guy with the Phillies, Kyle Kendrick has been given the nod to start for Opening Day for the Colorado Rockies. He signed a one-year $5.5 million contract with the Rockies this offseason and he will take the mound on Monday, April 6th in Milwaukee against the Brewers.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss told Thomas Harding of Rockies.com that he's been impressed with Kendrick's demeanor since joining the team.
"Kyle has been everything we thought he was," Weiss said. "He's very professional, very efficient on the mound. He's a veteran guy that's pitched in big games."
In three games this spring, Kendrick has allowed three runs on ten hits in seven innings of work.
During his eight seasons for the Phillies, Kyle went 74-68 with a 4.42 ERA. His most successful year was 2012, when he appeared in 34 games, 15 of which were starts. Kyle went 8-6 and posted a 3.22 ERA.
Kendrick's lone postseason appearance came in 2007 against his new team, the Rockies, during the NLDS. He gave up five runs in 3.2 innings. The Phillies lost that game 10-5, and eventually they lost the series.
In seven career games at Coors field, Kyle is 1-1 with a 5.26 ERA.
