Koch signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies on Nov. 22 and received an invitation to major-league spring training.
Koch spent the 2022 season with the Mariners, and struggled to an 8.31 ERA over 4.1 innings of work in four appearances. The right-hander has an outside chance of making the Rockies out of spring training with a strong showing in the Cactus League.
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Mariners' Matt Koch: Outrighted to minors
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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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Mariners' Matt Koch: Joins Seattle on MiLB deal
Rotowire
Koch signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on March 10.
He's been assigned to Triple-A Tacoma, where he's expected to serve in a relief role. The 31-year-old has made appearances at the big-league level in four different seasons, though he hasn't reached the majors since 2019.
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Indians' Matt Koch: Joins Triple-A Columbus
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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.
Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Fails to win rotation spot
Rotowire
Koch will not be part of the Diamondbacks' rotation to begin the season, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.
Koch posted good numbers this spring, finishing with a 3.18 in 17 innings while recording a 13:3 K:BB. Merrill Kelly will be the fifth starter for now, but Koch could be the first one called on when the team needs a spot starter.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Likely part of bullpen
Rotowire
Koch gave up two runs on five hits while striking out six over five-plus innings Friday against the Dodgers.
Koch, who made 14 starts and five relief appearances in 2018, is widely expected to be part of the Diamondbacks' bullpen, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The right-hander has posted a 3.18 ERA over 17 Cactus League innings. "I've been extremely impressed by what he's done," manager Torey Lovullo said. "You walk into camp and know you're competing, you're told you have to earn the spot, and when you do things like this it really stands out." Koch is out of options, so the Diamondbacks risk losing him if they want to send him down.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Receives starting nod Sunday
Rotowire
Koch (arm) will start Sunday's split-squad game against the Rockies in Mexico.
Koch was scratched from his first spring start Feb. 22 due to right arm fatigue but has since made two Cactus League appearances for the Diamondbacks. The 28-year-old should be ready to go for Opening Day as he attempts to earn a spot in Arizona's starting rotation.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Scratched from spring start
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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: Will make spot start Tuesday
Rotowire
Koch will start Tuesday against the Dodgers, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
Koch has appeared in 18 games (13 starts) for the Diamondbacks this season, posting a 4.26 ERA with 48 strikeouts over 82.1 frames. Although he was moved to the bullpen Tuesday, he'll get one more chance to start before the year ends.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Koch: Shines in long relief
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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.
