The Rockies‘ margin of error to avoid triple-digit losses again is getting exceedingly thin.
Colorado was swept by the Braves on Sunday, finishing a 2-5 road trip to fall to 52-85 on the season. The Rockies, who start a six-game homestand on Monday against Baltimore, need to go 11-14 in the remaining 25 games to avoid becoming the fifth MLB franchise to lose 100-plus games four seasons in a row.
This weekend at Truist Park in Atlanta, Colorado dropped three straight close games following a series split in Washington.
Michael Harris II homered and had three RBIs in the Braves’ 6-4 win in Friday’s series opener. On Saturday, Harris’ two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning lifted Atlanta to a 2-1 victory as Colorado batted 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. And in the home team’s 3-2 win in 10 innings on Sunday, Matt Olson’s walk-off RBI single sent the Braves to their seventh straight win.
The walk-off cemented Colorado’s 10th time being swept this season, and continued the Rockies’ struggles against Atlanta. The Rockies were 0-6 against the National League East leaders this year, and have gone 6-26 against the Braves since 2022, including 3-13 at Truist Park.
Here’s three takeaways from the rough road trip:
Cole Carrigg in timeout… sort of
The rookie was caught on the Rockies telecast flipping the bird to the Atlanta fans after the center fielder Harris’ decisive double in the gap in the eighth inning on Saturday that gave the Braves a 2-1 lead. Ahead of the game on Sunday, manager Warren Schaeffer that Carrigg was “going to sit a couple days” as punishment for the gesture, which Schaeffer called an “embarrassment.” But then Carrigg pinched hit in the seventh inning on Sunday, striking out, and remained in the game on defense.
Rumfield’s Rookie of the Year candidacy
First baseman TJ Rumfield continues to make a strong case to be in the conversation for NL Rookie of the Year. He’s slashing .289/.380/.437 with 13 homers and 3.2 bWAR. His average and on-base percentage are first among qualified NL rookies, and he’s second in slugging and OPS (.820). This week, he joined Larry Walker as the only Rockies hitters to have at least 10 walks and no strikeouts over a four-game span, a feat that only three other players have accomplished since 1997 — Carlos Santana, Barry Bonds (eight times) and Gary Sheffield.
Rockies flailing in crunch time
Colorado hasn’t played well with the game on the line this year. The defeats on Saturday and Sunday at Truist Park were the Rockies’ 19th and 20th last at-bat losses of the season, tied for the most in the NL with the Cardinals. Plus, they are 2-7 in extra-inning games this season, the worst record in the majors, while their 40 losses by two or fewer runs are the fourth-most. Colorado’s seven walk-off losses are the most in club history since 2014, when the Rockies lost 11 games that way. They are 16-20 in one-run games, including just one win in the last seven.
