The Colorado Rockies are turning to a familiar face in hopes of rewriting a brutal chapter in franchise history. Josh Byrnes is set to take over as general manager, stepping into a role that’s been under a harsh spotlight after one of the worst seasons Major League Baseball has seen in the modern era.
Byrnes brings with him a résumé that speaks volumes. He’s no stranger to the GM chair, having previously held the position with both the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
Most recently, he served as vice president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers-a franchise that’s become synonymous with sustained excellence over the past decade. Now, he returns to Colorado, where his MLB front-office journey began as an assistant GM from 2000 to 2002.
His hire is part of a broader leadership reset in Denver. Byrnes will report to Paul DePodesta, who was named president of baseball operations in November.
It’s a reunion of sorts for two executives with deep roots in both traditional scouting and progressive baseball analytics. Together, they’ll be tasked with steering a franchise that’s been drifting for far too long.
Let’s be clear: this is a massive undertaking. The Rockies are coming off a 43-119 season-a record that not only landed them at the bottom of the NL West for the fourth straight year but also gave them the second-fewest wins in a full 162-game season since 1961.
Their -424 run differential? That wasn’t just bad-it was historically bad, the worst since 1901.
This wasn’t a team that simply underperformed. This was a team that collapsed in every phase of the game.
That’s the backdrop Byrnes walks into. But if there’s anyone who understands what it takes to build a winner from the ground up, it’s him.
He’s been part of four World Series-winning front offices-one with the 2004 Red Sox and three with the Dodgers in 2020, 2024, and 2025. That kind of championship pedigree doesn’t guarantee success, but it does offer a blueprint.
Byrnes is known for his ability to blend traditional baseball instincts with a modern, data-driven approach. That’s exactly the kind of thinking Colorado needs right now.
The Rockies have long struggled to adapt to the shifting landscape of player development and roster construction-especially when it comes to navigating the unique challenges of playing at altitude. Byrnes’ time with the Dodgers, who’ve mastered the art of building depth and maximizing value up and down the roster, could prove invaluable in reshaping the Rockies’ long-term strategy.
This isn’t going to be a quick fix. The roster needs an overhaul.
The farm system requires reinvestment. And perhaps most importantly, the organization has to reestablish an identity-something it’s lacked since its last playoff appearance in 2018.
But with Byrnes and DePodesta now leading the charge, the Rockies are signaling a commitment to change. After years of missteps and missed opportunities, Colorado is finally turning the page-and for the first time in a while, there’s reason to believe they might be headed in the right direction.