Colorado Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner is adopting an unconventional training style as he works toward a full return from a series of injuries. The 29-year-old right-hander aims to rebuild physical strength and pitching form ahead of the 2026 season, seeking to provide consistency to a Rockies rotation recovering from a historically poor campaign.
With the focus keyword Ryan Feltner injury comeback at the center of his offseason efforts, Feltner is determined to overcome the setbacks that limited his appearances and effectiveness in 2025. Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman expressed confidence in Feltner’s star potential just before spring training began in Scottsdale, Arizona.
He has what it takes to be an All-Star in this league,
Leichman said Wednesday.
He has some really cool pitches, and once he puts it all together, he will be a force in this league.
Injuries Hamper a Rising Star’s Momentum
Feltner showed great promise in the latter half of 2024, establishing himself as one of the best National League pitchers during that stretch. Over his last 15 starts of the season, he maintained a remarkable 2.98 ERA, becoming the first Rockies starter since German Marquez’s All-Star run in 2021 to keep an ERA under 3.00 over such a span.
His September performance stood out with a 1.78 ERA across five starts, tallying 23 strikeouts while issuing only 10 walks. Yet, persistent injuries to his back and shoulder ultimately overshadowed this progress and curtailed his availability and performance in 2025.
From Artistic Therapy to Physical Intensity: A Winter of Transformation
In 2023, after suffering a fractured skull due to a line drive comeback, Feltner leaned into painting to aid his mental recovery. He crafted abstract artworks as a therapeutic outlet. However, facing back and shoulder injuries that severely limited his 2025 season, Feltner discarded the easel in favor of intense physical training this offseason.
Painting probably would have been good for me, but I took my anger out in the weight room this offseason,
he said with a laugh.
I went a little more caveman.
The Florida native spent the offseason in a modest Quonset hut-style home by the Intracoastal Waterway in South Florida. He described it as:
It was small and pretty shabby,
Feltner said.
But it was OK. I knew I wasn’t going to be at home much. I knew I was going to be at the gym doing PT, weight training and throwing. I kind of went back to my roots. That was kind of my therapy.
A Routine Focused on Rebuilding Strength and Body Awareness
Feltner’s daily schedule was straightforward: waking early, preparing breakfast, and enjoying a walk by the water before dedicating six hours to the gym and rehabilitation work.
Then I’d spend the next six hours at the gym,
he stated.
This rigorous regimen took place under the supervision of Eric Schoenberg, a personal trainer at Cressey Sports Performance in Palm Beach Gardens. The program went beyond traditional strength exercises, emphasizing understanding how Feltner’s body responds to the demands of pitching to prolong his durability throughout the season.
We wanted to find out, ‘What happens to my body after so many starts? This gets tight, that gets tight. Why? This gets out of whack. Why is that?’
he explained.
I feel like we put our finger on a bunch of things. Plus, we did a lot of the traditional strength training stuff, which I did a ton of, so I put on some muscle.
Leichman lauded his offseason efforts, saying:
He worked hard and got himself ready. He’s put himself in a good spot.
Leaving Behind a Season Marked by Frustration and Pain
Feltner prefers not to dwell on the difficult 2025 season in which injuries kept him sidelined for much of the time and Colorado suffered a franchise-worst 119 losses. He indicated this might be his last public discussion about that year’s troubles.
Last year was the most frustrating of my career, for sure,
Feltner admitted.
Once this spring training kicks off, this might be the last time I talk to anybody about all of this stuff.
He made only six starts before back pain forced shutdowns, briefly showing flashes of form, such as his strong outing on April 22 against Kansas City when he allowed one run on three hits over seven innings. Yet pain worsened and culminated in a difficult effort on April 28 at Coors Field, surrendering five runs over 4 1/3 innings.
I was in pain the whole time,
Feltner recalled.
We kind of knew, going out there, that I probably wasn’t going to make it through my start. But I wanted to try anyway. But that was the nail in the coffin.
After some recovery, his shoulder flared up during bullpen sessions, a setback that he found especially maddening.
I just don’t think my back was able to rotate properly, and because of that, something else was going to take the stress,
he explained.
That was the shoulder. It was all so frustrating.
Currently, Feltner declared his back and shoulder fully healed and ready for action.
Totally fine … I’m 100% healthy.
Optimism from the Coaching Staff and Emphasis on Pitching Arsenal
Leichman is eager to see Feltner thrive without his physical limitations and emphasized the importance of Feltner being prepared both mentally and physically.
We are big believers in him, and I’m sure the league will find out how good he is. The main thing is being physically and mentally ready to take the ball when it’s his turn.
Feltner employs a diverse set of six pitches including a four-seam fastball, sinker, changeup, curveball, and two varieties of slider. He embraces the Rockies’ approach that values an expanded pitching repertoire to keep hitters off-balance.
They have stressed to me that that’s my superpower, to be able to throw all of my pitches,
Feltner said.
I can shape my sliders. So the slider I throw to lefties, you can call a cutter, and the slider I throw to righties, you can call a true slider. I have a plethora of pitches.
Excitement About the Rockies’ New Direction
As spring training begins under a new front office and coaching staff, Feltner noted a renewed, energized atmosphere within the team.
I’m very excited, he remarked.
Right when I walked into the meeting room last month at Fan Fest at Coors Field, I told somebody that the energy felt different, right away, when I was walking in.
It’s so cool to see the guys have those conversations about our new approaches. It’s been a very forward-looking, stimulating environment. I’m going to make the most of it.
What This Means for Feltner and the Rockies Going Forward
Feltner’s commitment to a back-to-basics, physically intense winter regimen highlights his determination to push past prior setbacks and become a reliable pillar in the Rockies’ rotation. His evolving mindset, along with a robust pitching arsenal and the support of a fresh coaching staff, may position him as a pivotal contributor during a pivotal rebuilding phase for Colorado.
While his injuries and frustrations in recent seasons have been formidable hurdles, the work Feltner put into understanding his body and strengthening it bears the potential to extend his career and enhance his performance in the seasons ahead. As spring training unfolds, all eyes will be on Feltner to see whether his “caveman” approach has sparked the comeback he and the Rockies hope for.
