Each week, The Denver Post provides an update on the Rockies’ path to becoming the worst MLB team in the modern era.
Current Record: 41-112
On Pace for: 43-119
Infamy Tracker: With nine games remaining, Colorado still needs one more win to avoid tying the 2024 White Sox for the worst team in modern history. The Rockies are riding a five-game losing streak entering the weekend, and their longest losing streak this season is eight games, which they’ve done five times. So while it remains likely Colorado won’t share infamy with the 121-loss White Sox, the Rockies have already set infamy of their own this month. Their 112 losses are the most by a National League team in the Divisional Era (since 1969), and their minus-404 run differential is sure to obliterate the modern run differential record of minus-349 set by the 1932 Red Sox. Colorado’s lost 41 games after leading this year, been swept 19 times, and is 2-14 in September. The Rockies need to win two more games to avoid tying the modern NL record for losses of 120 set by the ’62 Mets.
Where others were after 153 games: 2024 White Sox 36-117; 1962 Mets 37-115-1; 2003 Tigers 38-115; 1916 Athletics 35-117-1; 1935 Braves 38-115; 1988 Orioles 53-100; 2019 Tigers 45-108; 1932 Red Sox 42-111; 1904 Senators 36-111-4; 1899 Cleveland Spiders 20-133.
Telling statistics: Despite playing half their games at hitter-friendly Coors Field, the Rockies rank 27th in baseball (and next-to-last in the National League) with a .686 OPS. They are also only 22nd in home runs with 154. The team’s strikeout rate has improved in the second half, but the Rockies are still last in the NL with 1,439 Ks.
Coming up: The Rockies conclude their home schedule with a three-game series against the Angels this weekend. Then, Colorado concludes the season with a three-game series in Seattle (the Mariners are currently tied with Houston in the race for the AL West title) and three games in San Francisco (the Giants sit three games back of the third NL wild card spot).
Player to watch: Mickey Moniak is a man on fire. Entering Friday’s series opener against the Angels, the outfielder homered in four straight games, the first Colorado player to accomplish that feat since Ryan McMahon did so from May 26-29, 2023. He’s also the fifth player in club history to record at least nine hits, five homers and 11 RBIs over a four-game span. As a punctuation mark to his career year, Moniak is having a torrid September, slashing .340/.375/.698 with a 1.073 OPS, six homers and 13 RBIs in 16 games.
