Warren Schaeffer’s first full season at the helm gave the Rockies enough to build on, even if the record still looked ugly on paper.
After taking over when Bud Black was dismissed following a 7-33 start in 2025, Schaeffer guided Colorado through a 104-loss season in 2026. That was still the club’s fourth straight 100-loss year, but it also marked a 15-win jump from the previous season, a difference that mattered to president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta.
Speaking through Denver Post columnist Troy Renck, DePodesta said the organization wanted to restore some belief inside the clubhouse, and he credited Schaeffer and his staff for helping with that.
"One of our goals last offseason was re-instilling belief in the clubhouse that we can win that game that night. I think Schaeff and the coaching staff did a really nice job of that.
From an actual game strategy standpoint, he did a lot of things well. We need to get him more talent.
We are pleased with the progress, but let’s not mistake it for being good," stated DePodesta.
That last line said plenty. The Rockies are encouraged by the progress, but the roster still needs a serious talent boost, especially on the mound. Colorado’s starting rotation kept putting the team in early holes, and after the trade deadline the group finished with a 7.00 ERA.
Offensively, though, there was more to like, and not just from Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak anymore.
TJ Rumfield emerged as an NL Rookie of the Year candidate, while another first-year player, Cole Carrigg, made a major impact. Rumfield was the most complete threat in the lineup, hitting .300 with a .390 on-base percentage.
And then there’s Charlie Condon, whose debut is already looming large after he came up just short of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in Triple-A.
The Rockies have plenty of bats capable of adding numbers to the scoreboard. The bigger question is whether the pitching staff can finally stop the other side from doing the same.
In Other News...
Rockies Finally Face The Pitching Reality Fans Have Feared
Another season has ended the same way for the Rockies, with the standings flashing a familiar warning and the offense left to carry more than its share. Hunter Goodman and TJ Rumfield provided some bright spots at the plate, but it did little to hide the bigger issue that has dogged Colorado through this stretch of losing: the pitching never gave the lineup enough support to matter.
The starting rotation was especially hard to ignore down the stretch, and a 7.00 ERA after the trade deadline put a number to the problem. Colorado even moved on from Michael Lorenzen with a designation for assignment, and president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta has already pointed toward creative solutions as the next step. The challenge now is less about identifying the issue than finding a workable path out of it. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Just Gave Fans Another Reason To Question Their Loyalty
The Rockies are asking fans to keep paying up even as the product on the field keeps slipping. After a fourth straight losing season and another year of miserable results, the club has told season-ticket holders to expect higher prices for 2027, a move that lands especially hard for a fan base already worn down by years of frustration and the worst record in baseball.
Team president Walker Monfort framed the increase around a few familiar business pressures, including what he called the clubs traditionally low ticket prices, rising minimum wage costs and lost TV revenue. But in Denver, the bigger issue is less about accounting and more about trust, and whether loyal supporters will keep buying in when the on-field payoff has been so hard to find. [Read more 🡒]