The struggling club made several roster moves Friday, including reinstating second baseman Thairo Estrada from the 60-day injured list and designating veteran outfielder Nick Martini for assignment.

Estrada, 29, is expected to start Friday night’s game against the Mets at Citi Field. Colorado enters the game with a 9-47 record and is on pace for the worst record in baseball’s modern era.

During the offseason, Estrada signed a one-year contract that guarantees him $4 million and has a mutual option for 2026. He was supposed to be Colorado’s starting second baseman, but suffered a fractured right wrist when he was hit by a pitch in spring training by the Rangers’  Kumar Rocker.

Martini’s spot on the roster will be filled by outfielder Sam Hilliard, who had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque. Colorado also optioned infielder Adael Amador to Albuquerque.

Martini, 34, signed a minor league deal in the offseason and made the team based on a strong spring training, but he slashed just .225/.288/.294.

Hilliard, 31, is back with the Rockies for his sixth season. Hilliard had a poor spring training with too many strikeouts and was removed from the 40-man roster, but chose to stick with the Rockies and accepted an outright assignment.

The left-handed hitter has had a decent season at Triple-A, slashing .288/.372/.538 with six home runs, but his strikeout rate was 26.1%. Hillard’s career strikeout rate in 875 big-league plate appearances is 34.1%.

Amador, 22, made his major league debut last season and struggled at the plate and in the field as he made the conversion from shortstop to second base. He made strides in the field this season at second base, but he’s still overmatched by big-league pitching. In 33 games (102 plate appearances), he hit .146 with one home run and just five RBIs from the bottom of the order.

Veen sent to ACL. Outfield prospect Zac Veen has been sent down to the Arizona Complex League to rehab a sore ankle and work on his swing at the Rockies’ performance lab at its Salt River Fields complex in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Veen made his big-league debut earlier this season but played in just 12 games and struggled mightily in 37 plate appearances, slashing .118/.189./.235 with one home run. His strikeout rate was 37.8% and his walk rate was just 5.4%.

Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

I still feel that the main reason for the Rockies’ historic struggles is not their youth movement, but the large number of veterans who have given the Rockies subpar results (cough, cough, Nick Martini and most of the rotation). How far away are we from seeing more significant debuts, like Ryan Ritter (tearing it up at Triple-A) replacing Martini at DH or Gabriel Hughes or Sean Sullivan coming up? Could we end the year with an all-youth rotation of Ryan Feltner, Chase Dollander, Carson Palmquist, Hughes and Sullivan?

— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins

Isaac, I only partially agree with you.

The veterans, such as Martini, were brought on board as “placeholders.” So, it’s not so much that the performance of journeymen has hurt the Rockies; it’s that prospects such as Zac Veen proved they’re not ready to play in the majors, and that key veterans — especially Michael Toglia and Ryan McMahon — have not met expectations. Also, the Rockies hoped they’d get at least some production out of the injured Kris Bryant.

But you’re right, the starting pitching has been a disaster, as Colorado’s MLB-worst 6.75 ERA illustrates. I could see the Rockies trading both right-hander German Marquez and lefty Austin Gomber. Marquez’s numbers are terrible (1-7, 7.66 ERA), but he’s pitched better of late, still has firepower and is in the final year of his contract. Gomber, currently on the injured list, is probably even more tradeable.

I could also see right-hander Antonio Senzatela demoted to the bullpen when Feltner comes off the injured list. So, the rotation in the second half of the season could look like this: lefties Kyle Freeland and Carson Palmquist, and right-handers Dollander, Feltner and Hughes. The wild card in the mix would be Sullivan.

Hey Patrick, as the Rockies continue to march toward infamy this season, I was wondering about the draft. Unless there are some “anti-tanking” rules/loopholes/system in MLB that I am unaware of, I am assuming that after this season, the Rockies will have the No. 1 overall pick in the next MLB draft. I was wondering if you could throw out two or three names who might be considered the top prospects to become the No. 1 overall pick.

— Douglas Hicks, Denver

Douglas, the Rockies can’t win for losing.

Because, yes, there is an “anti-tanking” rule in the system that will eliminate the Rockies from getting the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. A team can’t enter the draft lottery for three years in a row, meaning that the Rockies will be ineligible for the No. 1 pick in 2026.

Here’s an explanation from before the draft lottery at last December’s winter meetings regarding the White Sox and the A’s:

“As a team that received a lottery pick in the 2024 Draft and is a ‘payor club’ —  a team that gives rather than receives revenue-sharing dollars — the White Sox are not eligible for this year’s lottery. The A’s are a ‘payee club,’ but landed lottery picks in 2023 and ’24, and payees cannot receive a lottery pick three years in a row. They can pick no earlier than 10th and 11th in the 2025 Draft as a result.”

The Rockies, as well as the Marlins, entered last December’s draft lottery with a 22.5% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. But the ping-pong balls didn’t bounce Colorado’s way, and it ended up with the fourth overall pick for this year’s draft, to be held on July 13-14 in Atlanta as part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities.

Here’s the draft order for the first round. Numbers in parentheses denote where the teams ranked in the lottery odds and their odds of winning the top overall pick.

2025 MLB draft order

1. Nationals (4, 10.2%)
2. Angels (3, 18.0%)
3. Mariners (15, 0.5%)
4. Rockies (T-1, 22.5%)
5. Cardinals (13, 0.8%)
6. Pirates (6, 5.3%)
7. Marlins (T-1, 22.5%)
8. Blue Jays (5, 7.5%)
9. Reds (7, 3.7%)
10. White Sox (ineligible for top pick)
11. Athletics (ineligible for top pick)
12. Rangers (8, 2.5%)
13. Giants (9, 1.9%)
14. Rays (10, 1.5%)
15. Red Sox (11, 1.2%)
16. Twins (12, 1.1%)
17. Cubs (14, 0.7%)
18. D-backs (16, 0.3%)

The front office, coaches, media, and we, the fans, all know the what and the why, so why are we not seeing change and progress? The offense’s potential has always been there, but the K rate and totals over the past few years have been the killer. When starters are good, there’s no run support. Where is the breaking point, I guess, would be my second question?

— Ken Saunders, Boston

Ken, are you my long-lost cousin? Can I “pahk my cah in Hahvahd Yahd?”

OK, enough.

We are seeing changes, but they aren’t coming all at once. The Rockies switched hitting coaches, fired manager Bud Black and promoted Warren Schaeffer. However, I doubt we’ll see any more significant changes during the season, apart from some possible trades in late July.

I will be curious to see if owner Dick Monfort will shake up the front office at the end of the season. I think there will be some changes, but I’m unsure how dramatic they will be. Here’s what Monfort said in a prepared statement when he fired Black and bench coach Mike Redman: “We will use the remainder of 2025 to improve where we can on the field and to evaluate all areas of our operation so we can properly turn the page into the next chapter of Rockies baseball.”

We’ll see what he means by “all areas.”

As for their “progress,” it has definitely stalled. There is no way the Rockies saw a 9-45 start coming. They thought they were on the verge of turning the corner and 2026 might be a possible playoff year. The “light at the end of the tunnel” looks a lot further away now.

You recently highlighted the Rockies’ strikeout woes with a quote from Clint Hurdle, who said there is not enough “angst” from players about striking out. I’m worried that this is an organizational failure that begins in the minor leagues. Any insight into what players are being taught in the lower levels? Presumably, this is where the bad habits begin.

— Daniel Y., Denver

Daniel, I haven’t dug into the minor league strikeout numbers yet, so it would be presumptuous for me to say that the strikeouts are an organizational issue from top to bottom. However, I have had several smart baseball people, whom I respect, tell me that they think the Rockies are drafting and trying to develop too many players with “long, loopy swings,” who tend to be strikeout-prone. First baseman Michael Toglia is the primary example.

To Hurdle’s point, the strikeout issue is also a generational issue. So many players have their own hitting coaches now and players are not taught how to battle with two strikes, etc.

Can you share any insights or anything you’ve heard on the team’s use of data/analytics in prepping for opponents? As a fan, it’s hard to draw conclusions, but it seems the Rockies are very ill-prepared for opponents. We know the talent on this team doesn’t stack up well with others, but they’re not 130-plus losses bad.

— Tyler, Denver

Tyler, that’s a good question, but I’m not going to pretend that I know enough about analytics to say whether or not the Rockies are “ill-prepared.” I am aware that the Rockies have 11 people in their analytics department, which makes it one of the smallest in the majors. The staff includes Brian Jones, the head of research and development, as well as five software engineers and five analysts.

on the idea that the Rockies are “behind the times” when it comes to scouting, etc. Still, until the Rockies stop being the worst team in baseball, their reputation for being “ill-prepared” will persist.

Which Rockie gets named to the All-Star Game?

— Mark Newton, Grand Junction

Mark, that’s a tricky question. By the time the decision comes around, my guess is that it will be shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. He started off slowly because of a hip injury, but he’s come on strong and he’s the Rockies’ best player. Others to consider are Hunter Goodman and Jordan Beck, but neither has built a reputation that will garner them much consideration.

Reliever Jake Bird has been outstanding, but he’s not a closer, so I can’t see him getting the call.

Why does God hate the Rockies?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Ed, I don’t think God cares at all about the Rockies. However, perhaps the baseball gods hate the Rockies because of Dinger’s lack of pants or because of the now-defunct Tooth Trot.

Watching the Rockies ownership, it is like playing the song, “Henry the VIII, I Am” over and over and over and over, regardless of the actors. Have you heard any rumblings about possibly getting the second verse changed for the Rockies so it can be a different song? (Hopefully you know that song.)

— Del, Lamar

Yes, Del, I’m just old enough to remember the song by Herman’s Hermits. Vaguely. I actually heard the cheesy song on 60s Gold via Sirius XM Radio the other day.

Anyway, I have not heard anything beyond rumors about Rockies ownership changing.

What do you think about Rob Manfred’s decision regarding Pete Rose?

— Bill, Littleton

Bill, I was troubled by it.

I’m glad that Manfred’s decision doesn’t automatically mean that Rose will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I didn’t vote for Barry Bonds for the Hall of Fame because he knowingly cheated while breaking baseball’s home run record. Bonds was a great player but was also a historic cheater.

If I didn’t cut Bonds any slack, I wouldn’t for Rose.

Rose, for those who don’t know, violated one of Major League Baseball’s sacred rules when he gambled on baseball as manager of the Cincinnati Reds and lied about it for 15 years before dying in September 2024 at the age of 83. Manfred resurrected Rose’s chance of making the Hall of Fame when, on the eve of Pete Rose Day in Cincinnati, he lifted Rose’s permanent ban from baseball, making him eligible to be elected into the Hall of Fame.

Rose, who was never on the official BBWAA ballot, can now be nominated by the Hall of Fame’s Historical Overview Committee and placed on the 2027 Classic Baseball Era committee ballot. He would need at least 12 votes by the 16-member committee — made up of four former players, four executives, four writers and four historians — to be elected and inducted in the summer of 2028. He’s not a lock.

I suggest you read a column by longtime I share his views.

Hey Patrick, how often does Dick Monfort make himself available to the media? I know he has released statements this season, but the last time I remember a major press conference from him was the signing of Kris Bryant. Do you think that, given how Bryant has panned out, along with the awkward press conference after Nolan Arenado was traded, he has become more wary about fielding questions from reporters?

— Adam, Denver

Adam, you’re correct. The last time Monfort met the media for a full-blown press conference was at the Bryant signing. However, he usually talks with a few media members at the annual Friends of Baseball breakfast in Greeley in late January or early February. He was at the event this year. We had hoped to talk to him, but he left before we had a chance to talk to him.

He did give The Denver Post’s Troy Renck an interview in March 2024. I’ve asked to interview Monfort multiple times during this awful season, but he has declined to this point.

I do think Monfort is reluctant to talk to the media because he knows that fans are angry and frustrated, and he also knows the media would ask him difficult questions.

It was toxic, the Rockies right fielder figured, back in his days with the Los Angeles Angels. Comparison the thief of joy, and all that. His notifications are off; wife, Sophia, owns and controls access to the handle @mickeymoniak. He’s plenty happy that way.

Many of his fellow Rockies, through wilting weeks around Coors Field, have similarly turned to online ghosts. First baseman Michael Toglia hasn’t posted since February. Neither has veteran Ryan McMahon. Catcher Jacob Stallings doesn’t have social media altogether. Limit the feed, and you limit the carnage, the ever-ticking loss total that’s drawn a national story to Denver in a town of Broncos, Nuggets and Avs.

“If you think about the season in totality and big picture, and that sort of thing, it can get a little overwhelming,” Stallings told The Denver Post before Wednesday’s game. “Just gotta take it a day at a time. And wherever you end up at the season is where you end up.”

For now, that willful ignorance cannot disguise cold, hard, round numbers. After a 9-5 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday night, these Rockies (8-41) have officially set the mark for the worst 50-game start in modern MLB history, — a game early. It came wrapped in the same bow, ultimately, as the other 40: a jumbled box of hanging deliveries and head-scratching fundamental mistakes.

When asked postgame about the Phillies outscoring the Rockies 25-12 thus far in this four-game series, interim manager Warren Schaeffer — now 1-8 since being promoted for the fired Bud Black — continued preaching optimism.

“We just go to work,” Schaeffer said when asked what message he’d relay to his team. “We just go to work tomorrow.”

Schaeffer said pregame he hoped for a “step forward” from 24-year-old lefty Carson Palmquist, making his second MLB start after a five-run debut. And Palmquist’s off-balance sweeper impressed on more than one at-bat, twice whiffing Phillies slugger and MLB home-run leader Kyle Schwarber. But his four-seam fastball didn’t often play against a battle-tested Philadelphia lineup.

Trea Turner and Bryce Harper both knocked singles in Palmquist’s first four pitches to set up a two-run first inning. In the third, Turner ripped a 3-1 fastball from Palmquist deep into left-center seats to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead.

Before anyone at Coors had time to think, Harper swatted a Palmquist cutter into the hedges beyond centerfield. Back-to-back pitches. Back-to-back homers.

The promising young lefty stared out at the trees, unmoving, for a few beats. Another start shattered. A home-field debut rocked. A season cratering, down into depths of the earth no club has reached before.

“They hit mistakes really well,” Palmquist said postgame. “And when you leave the ball over the middle of the plate, they’re going to hit it, like they did tonight. And just, making better pitches from the get-go, should get them out.”

Palmquist eventually trudged off the mound in the fifth with an ugly ledger: 4 1/3 innings, four walks, two strikeouts and six earned runs to bring his two-start ERA to 11.88. He was afforded little help, too, behind him. After those two first-inning singles, Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman — despite sizzling at the plate — chucked a throw to third into left field to score a stealing Turner. In the third, Moniak bobbled an RBI double from Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, scoring Schwarber to bring Philadelphia’s lead to 6-2.

The Rockies found a silver lining in 34-year-old DH Nick Martini, who launched his first homer of the year off Phillies starter Tajuan Walker in the fourth and followed with a double off the wall in the ninth. Young second baseman Adael Amador continued to impress in this Philadelphia series, too, knocking a second-inning RBI single and leaping to snag a liner and save a run to end the third.

“I think on a day-to-day basis,” Schaeffer said of Amador, “you’re seeing a more confident, free player.”

Realmuto added a two-run shot in the sixth off Rockies reliever Angel Chivilli, extending the Phillies’ lead to six. For the second straight night, the Rockies mounted a slight ninth-inning stand, as the scorching Ezequiel Tovar and Goodman both knocked in runs. But an unfortunately historic night at Coors was long finished.

Injury updates: In a move quickly buried under a pile of managerial chaos, the Rockies transferred the ailing Kris Bryant to the 60-day IL May 11 amid an ongoing back issue. Schaeffer said pregame Bryant was still “doing his exercises” and “progressing off the field,” but wasn’t back doing any baseball activities. The Rockies, though, are set to receive some infield reinforcements soon. Schaeffer said second baseman Thairo Estrada, who’s been sidelined since spring training with a fractured wrist, will begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A either Wednesday or Thursday.

When asked to compare what his reeling Rockies are doing to turn things around versus what teams such as the Tigers and Royals have done, the Colorado native was blunt.

“What they’re doing is right, what we’re doing is wrong,” he said. “And we’re not winning baseball games. We’re playing a bad brand of baseball, all the way around. Pitching, fielding, hitting. It’s bad.”

Things didn’t improve in Game 2, which ended with utility infielder Alan Trejo pitching in the ninth inning.

Detroit romped, 11-1, to complete a three-game series sweep and send Colorado to its sixth consecutive loss. In being outscored 21-3 in the doubleheader (a minus-18 run differential), the Rockies tied for the largest negative run differential in a doubleheader sweep in franchise history. On July 15, 2019, Colorado lost 2-1 and 19-2 to San Francisco.

For the record, Trejo gave up a leadoff single to Colt Keith, got Riley Greene to ground into a double play, and closed out the ninth inning by inducing Spencer Torkelson to chop out to short.

The Rockies’ 6-31 record is tied with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for the worst 37-game start in the Modern Era. (That doesn’t include teams that played to ties in the early 1900s). Colorado’s .162 winning percentage has the club on pace to finish 26-136.

It’s hard to imagine the Rockies will play this poorly for the entire season, but they are stuck in a hard place right now.

“We have to start winning, losing sucks,” said two-time Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle, who’s stuck in a 7-for-56 slump that has dropped his average to .218. “There are not many guys in here who like losing, so it’s been kind of tough. So we have to find a spark. That’s just baseball sometimes. You go through some tough stretches.”

Manager Bud Black said the solution is to “keep battling and keep going.”

“This is a situation where you can’t crawl under a rock,” he said. “You have to keep going. You have to have your chest out and your chin up and keep going forward. That’s all you can do with this group of 26 guys.”

How bad was Game 1? Here’s an example in four snapshots:

• Second baseman Adael Amador whiffed on his throw back into the infield in Detroit’s two-run first inning and was charged with an error.

• Trejo muffed Zach McKinstry’s grounder at shortstop for another error in the Tigers’ five-run second.

• Catcher Hunter Goodman allowed a throw to home to scoot under his glove for Colorado’s third error in the Tigers’ two-run third. The error was officially charged to right fielder Mickey Moniak on the throw.

• Freeland displayed his frustration via body language on an afternoon when he was rocked for nine runs (five earned) on 11 hits in three innings.

Freeland said the mistakes behind him were not what fed his agitation on the mound.

“I was frustrated with myself,” he said. “I wasn’t making pitches. Stuff was up in the zone — easy stuff for them to pick up and hit.”

While Colorado’s defense and pitching were bad in the first game, its offense was AWOL against Detroit right-hander Casey Mize.

Mize gave up one run on three hits, struck out eight and walked none over six innings. At one point, Mize set down 13 in a row.

Colorado’s lone run came off Mize in the fifth on a one-out single by Nick Martini, a double to left by Moniak, and a sacrifice fly by Trejo. The sun-splashed crowd responded with a sarcastic LoDo Cheer.

Detroit pounded 14 hits while the Rockies had four, including a triple by Jordan Beck in the ninth that became the Rockies’ second run on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Goodman.

In Game 2, the Tigers ambushed right-hander Tanner Gordon for six runs on seven hits in the third inning, the biggest blow, a three-run double by Gleyber Torres.

Gordon, called up from Triple-A Albuquerque for the start, at least gave the Rockies some needed length on the mound and gave the overworked bullpen a break. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits, striking out four and walking one.

Keith supplied the Game 2 fireworks in the seventh inning. He hit a towering, 450-foot homer into the second deck above right field off Tyler Kinley.

Freeland, who considers himself a team leader, was blunt.

“When you’ve got no momentum going for yourself, you’ve got no momentum going with your offense or defense, you’re not going to have anything,” he said, describing the team’s current state. “You’re trying to throw (stuff) against the wall and see what����ap going to stick. It����ap not a way of winning baseball games on a consistent basis.”

Freeland was then asked what could be said to Rockies fans.

“Keep believing in us,” he said as he started to tear up. ” ‘Keep ridin’.”

Friday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Randy Vasquez (1-3, 3.90 ERA) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (1-5, 5.50)

6:40 p.m. Friday, Coors Field

TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

Radio: 850 AM, 94.1 FM

Trending: Left fielder Jordan Beck hit safely in both games of Thursday’s  doubleheader, extending his hitting streak to a career-high seven games. Beck has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, slashing .321/.361/.714 over that span.

Pitching probables

Saturday: Padres RHP Stephen Kolek (1-0, 0.0) at Rockies RHP Bradley Blaylock (0-1, 8.03), 6:10 p.m.

Sunday: Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (5-1, 2.01) at Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-6, 9.90)

— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post

On the 30th anniversary of Dante Bichette’s walk-off homer in the inaugural game at Coors Field, home runs ruled the day. The problem for the hapless Rockies was that the Reds hit three homers to the Rockies’ two.

And so the beat goes on. Cincinnati won 6-4 on Saturday afternoon, sending the Rockies to their fifth consecutive loss and dropping their season misery index to 4-22.

Colorado joined the 2024 White Sox, ’22 Reds, ’03 Tigers and 1988 Orioles as the only teams in the divisional era (since 1969) to lose at least 22 of their first 26 games.

Cincy’s Noelvi Marte hit a two-run homer off Antonio Senzatela in the second, and Austin Hays stung Senzatela with solo, leadoff homers in the fourth and sixth.

“Outside of the three mistakes I made, when they hit it out of the ballpark, I think I threw good enough,” Senzatela said. “I made mistakes and they hit it out of the ballpark.”

Cincinnati joined a growing list of teams that have the Rockies’ number. The Reds improved to 11-1 over their last 12 games vs. the Rockies, including five straight wins at Coors.

The Reds tacked on two bonus runs in the ninth off reliever Tyler Kinley, who gave up a costly leadoff walk to Jose Trevino, a bloop single to TJ Friedl, an RBI single through the right side by Elly De La Cruz and an RBI infield single to Spencer Steer.

The Rockies staged a mini-rally in the ninth, combining a two-out walk by Nick Martini and an RBI single by rookie second baseman Adael Amador. But it wasn’t enough.

Colorado struck out 13 times. Third baseman Ryan McMahon, the team’s lone All-Star last season, remains in a terrible slump. He went 0 for 4 and his average dipped to .160. Over his last 14 games, he’s 2 for 50 with 25 strikeouts. McMahon’s 40 K’s are the most in the majors.

“We are probably going to give him the day off tomorrow against the lefty,” manager Bud Black said, referring to Reds starter Nick Lodolo. “We’ll let him exhale a little bit. ‘Mac’ is built to play every day, but he’s in a tough spot. He’s ahead of the offspeed (pitches) and behind the fastballs. His timing is off.”

McMahon said he’ll “keep showing up” and be a veteran leader for the younger Rockies.

“We are still searching for answers, and we’re still working on it,” he said. “But I’ve got to start producing, got to start helping the team. I can’t be in the three-hole doing what I’m doing.”

Colorado’s first three runs came via the long ball: a two-run homer by Michael Toglia and a solo shot by Amador.

Amador’s first big-league homer tied the game, 3-3, in the fifth. Amador popped hard-throwing Hunter Greene’s 3-2 slider just over the wall in right field.

“This is a kid’s dream, to hit a homer in the big leagues,” Amador said through interpreter Andy Gonzalez.

After a sluggish start to his season, Toglia is on a bit of a tear. In the second, he ripped Greene’s first-pitch slider 457 feet to right for a two-run homer, tying the game 2-2. Toglia hit 2 for 4 after knocking out three hits on Saturday night.

Senzatela gave up four runs on eight hits, struck out four and walked none. The three homers cost him dearly, and his ERA rose to 5.22. The right-hander has always been a contact pitcher, but teams are hitting .380 against him and he’s served up seven homers in six starts.

“The Reds got the ball up in the air against ‘Senza’ with some strength behind it,” Black said of the three homers.

Hays’ second homer came on a 3-2 fastball up and out of the zone. He still muscled it 429 feet.

“He’s going well,” Black said. “He’s hitting (.386) with a big OPS (1.222), so he’s in a good spot. So, when guys are in that spot, they can do things like that.”

Sunday’s pitching matchup

Reds LHP Nick Lodolo (2-2, 2.79 ERA) at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (0-1, 3.86)

1:10 p.m. Sunday, Coors Field

TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

Radio: 850 AM, 94.1 FM

Trending: First baseman Michael Toglia is finally heating up after a sluggish start. He hit 2 for 4 Saturday with a home run and two RBIs. The homer was his first of the season at Coors Field. He has multiple hits in back-to-back games and at least one hit in three straight games for the first time this season. Toglia is slashing .323/.353/.548 with two home runs and 10 RBIs over his last nine games.

Pitching probables

Monday: Braves TBD at Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-4, 9.30), 6:40 p.m.

Tuesday: Braves RHP Bryce Elder (0-1, 5.57) at Rockies RHP Chase Dollander (1-3, 7.91), 6:40 p.m

— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post

Whatever. The Rockies will take it.

They beat the Nationals 3-1 in the second game of a split doubleheader at Coors Field Sunday night to end an eight-game losing streak. The Nationals took the first game, 3-2.

“We have been playing good baseball the last four games, and we were just missing the key hit, so this feels good tonight,” said center fielder Mickey Moniak, who made a circus catch in the first inning and came through with a two-run triple in the fourth.

“Coming on after a tough loss in Game 1 today, the boys are fired up,” Moniak continued.

In Game 2, Colorado eked out two runs in the fourth, and one more in the eighth, but it was enough because relievers Jake Bird, Zach Agnos and Tyler Kinley blanked the Nats for the final three innings. The Rockies’ bullpen has posted a 1.47 ERA through its last eight games.

Agnos, making his major league debut, allowed one hit in the eighth. Kinley gave up a leadoff hit but then struck out the side to secure his first save.

In the fourth, Nationals starter Brad Lord plunked Jason Stallings, Aaron Shunk looped a double to right, and Moniak brought them home with a triple into the gap in left-center.

Pinch-hitter Nick Martini’s RBI groundout scored Jordan Beck in the eighth to provide Colorado with a comfort zone.

Senzatela set the Rockies up for success with six strong innings, allowing one run on six hits. He struck out two and walked one.

“I felt like my command was working tonight and I was able to out the ball where I wanted,” Senzatela said. “And there were a lot of good catches behind me. It was a good game overall for the team.”

The Rockies played terrific defense behind the right-hander. Moniak ended the first with his diving catch in center, which manager Bud Black tagged as the game’s turning point.

“You never know when a key moment is going to occur, but that Moniak catch in the first? Now about that?” Black said. “Two guys on, a bullet by (Dylan) Crews. If Mickey doesn’t catch that, it’s in gap, two more runs and you don’t know what happens from there. That was, for us, a momentum-changer.

“From there, ‘Senza’ locked in and I thought he did a really good job pitching inside. He choked off some swings and jammed both right- and left-handed hitters.”

More defensive help came from Beck, who made a sliding catch in left field in the second, and shortstop Aaron Shunk, who turned Crews’ hot shot into an out in the fourth.

Washington grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, combining a leadoff walk by James Wood and an RBI single by Nathaniel Lowe. But Senzatela silenced the Nats after that and finished with 11 outs via groundballs.

In Game 1, the Rockies had no margin for error — or errors — and it cost them.

Two critical throwing mistakes by rookie catcher Braxton Fulford in Washington’s three-run second inning turned out to be the difference.

Crews stole third base and raced home when Fulford threw the ball into left field.

The Nationals then loaded the bases when starter Kyle Freeland walked Jacob Young and Trey Lipscomb reached on an infield single. It looked like Freeland would escape the inning with minimal damage when Nasim Nunez chopped the ball back to Freeland, who threw to home for the force out, only to see Fulford blow the tailormade double play by sailing the ball over the head of first baseman Michael Toglia, allowing two runs to score.

“Braxton has one of our strongest arms, and he’s probably our best thrower (among catchers) in the organization,” Black said. “I’m not in his body, but younger players put a lot of pressure on themselves. And we are seeing it firsthand with a lot of our young guys. … That might have something to do with it.”

The errors took some of the shine off the day for Fulford and for rookie right fielder Zac Veen, both of whom hit the first home runs of their careers. Fulford and Veen became the second pair of teammates in franchise history to hit their first major league home run in the same game, joining Edgard Clemente and Curtis Leskanic on June 9, 1999, vs. Seattle.

The Rockies had a chance to tie the game in the ninth with Ryan McMahon on third, but Nick Martini grounded out to end the game.

Veen led off the third with a 412-foot blast to right field off Washington’s Jake Irvin. Fulford led off the sixth with a 433-foot monster shot to left off Irvin, for the first hit of his career.

But those two homers were the extent of Colorado’s scoring. Irwin limited Colorado to three hits, struck out nine and walked none.

Freeland pitched only two innings, forced from the game by a finger blister on the middle finger of his left hand. Finger blisters have plagued Freeland from time to time throughout his career.

“For the most part, it’s manageable,” Black said. “But I know that this week it was a little tenous. Unfortunately, today, the blood blister formed, and it was starting to get a little raw. I felt that if he kept going, it would compromise the ensuing start.”

Nearly 18 years later, Hurdle is charged with the task of instilling life into the Rockies’ dormant offense and finding ways to get young players to cut down on an astonishing number of empty at-bats. It might not take a miracle to improve what’s been the Rockies’ worst offense in franchise history for two-plus seasons, but Hurdle faces a daunting task.

After back-to-back 100-loss seasons, the Rockies have opened the season 3-15. They rank 30th in runs (52 for 2.89 per game) and 29th in strikeouts (195 for 10.83 per game at a 29.6% clip). Entering the weekend, they had hit the second-fewest home runs in the majors (12) while touting the seventh-lowest OPS (.629).

On Thursday, the club fired hitting coach Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens and moved Hurdle into the role. Hurdle, who managed the Rockies from 2002 through the early part of the ’09 season, was named as a special assistant before the 2022 season.

“This has been an incredibly frustrating and disappointing start to the season, especially offensively,” general manager Bill Schmidt said. “While all of us share responsibility, I felt a change was necessary, and that a new voice was needed to give us the best chance to perform as we move forward in the season.

“Clint����ap 30-plus years of baseball experience, especially over the past three-plus seasons working with our young players throughout the minor leagues, put him and our club in a place to be successful moving forward.”

The Rockies scraped rock bottom last weekend when they were swept by the Padres in San Diego, getting shut out for three consecutive games for the first time in franchise history.

Over the last two-plus seasons, current manager Bud Black has frequently lamented his team’s inability to deliver quality at-bats, particularly with runners on base. He’s been particularly disappointed by Colorado’s poor two-strike approach. The Rockies are counting on Hurdle to help fix those lingering problems.

Black and Schmidt have preached patience for a young team that is facing, in Black’s words, “growing pains.” Outfielder Zac Veen (.107 average, 36.7% K rate) and second baseman Adael Amador (.143, 42.9%) were recently promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque, and they have struggled like so many of the other young players on the roster.

The only three players who have delivered with any consistency are infielder Kyle Farmer (.345 average) and outfielder Nick Martini (.325), both 34, as well as 26-year-old center fielder Brenton Doyle (.315). However, a quadriceps injury limited Doyle to one at-bat during Colorado’s just-completed 0-6 West Coast road trip.

If there is a poster boy for the Rockies’ offensive struggles, it’s 26-year-old first baseman Michael Toglia. Considered a foundation for Colorado’s future, he’s slashing a paltry .172/.209./.266 with just one home run. His 32 strikeouts are the most in the National League and he’s striking out 47.8% of the time.

With runners in scoring position, Toglia is hitting .167 (2 for 12), mirroring his .169 career average. As a team, Colorado is hitting .190 with runners in scoring position, ranking 26th in the majors.

Yes, Toglia hit a grand slam in Colorado’s 8-7 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday, but that monster homer came wrapped with three strikeouts.

Ten games into the season, Toglia expressed confidence that he would snap out of his early-season funk.

“I had a stretch like this last year, but at the time, I had 250 at-bats under my belt, so it didn’t get magnified,” he said. “Now, since it����ap at the beginning of the season, it just looks a lot worse on the scoreboard. So, keeping that in mind, I don’t let it bother me. I know I can go out and hit a couple of homers and the numbers will look right.”

After a strong start, veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon has also hit the skids. He entered the weekend slashing .215/.297/.354 with two home runs and a 36.5% strikeout rate.

After a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers Tuesday night, Black talked about the rough start.

“This is tough for the team,” Black told reporters in Los Angeles. “With this situation early in the year, everything is magnified. We want to win more games. We have some things in perspective about where we are with our group. But the expectation of every major league team is to win tonight����ap game.

“So, (we) just keep teaching and let them grow. There is going to be a school of hard knocks for a while until these guys gain experience and figure out what it takes to get it done in the major leagues.”

The Rockies are hoping Hurdle will figure out a way to turn hard knocks into much-needed base knocks.

General manager Bill Schmidt fired hitting instructor Hensley Meulens on Thursday, replacing him with Clint Hurdle. Yes, that Clint Hurdle. The former Rockies manager who led the team to its only World Series in 2007.

Meulens had to go. He left the Rockies, a franchise famous for remaining loyal to incompetence, no choice. The decision they made last offseason finally cost them something beyond games. Like their dignity.

Even for a shameless organization, the 3-15 record is embarrassing. While the blame should not fall on Meulens alone, there was no whiny excuse suitable for this offensive mess.

The Rockies have zero identity. No team in franchise history profiles worse for Coors Field. They don’t do anything well. They don’t hit for average. And they make up for their lack of power with no speed.

But ultimately it is hard to score runs — they were shut out in a three-game series vs. the Padres last weekend — when you cannot even make contact.

Therein lies the reason Meulens was canned. The Rockies rank second in strikeouts and first in swing-and-miss rate at 32.5 %. First baseman Michael Toglia remains the posterboy for this ineptitude with 32 Ks in 64 at-bats.

Hopefully this move wakes the players up.

If not, Hurdle, in charge for the rest of the season, definitely will. He is a human siren, heard before seen. He brings a booming voice, positive reinforcement and the resolve to create consequences. This group will improve under his watch, and not just because they can’t get any worse.

The fact that Hurdle wanted to return is surprising. He is 67, though his energy draws comparisons to Raiders coach Pete Carroll, and hasn’t been in a dugout since 2019.

“When Clint and I talked before he took the job, I asked him, ‘Do you really want to do this with all the work and travel?’” Rockies Hall of Famer Todd Helton told The Denver Post. “He told me, ‘At this time, this is the best way I can help the Rockies. And I just want to help anyway I can.’ I loved that statement.”

An argument can be made that this job is beneath him. If owner Dick Monfort was smart, he would have made Hurdle the team president years ago, creating a buffer of sanity between himself and baseball operations. There’s no way in my mind that Hurdle, for instance, would have signed off on signing Kris Bryant.

And let����ap be honest. This is a comfortable hire. Bringing back a former Rockies fan favorite is good PR — my cynical side wonders if Hurdle will replace manager Bud Black before the season is over — and he knows baseball at altitude.

But Revlon doesn’t have enough lipstick to put on this pig of a start.

Hurdle is returning to his roots. He served as the Rockies hitting coach from 1997-2002, working under Don Baylor, Jim Leyland and Buddy Bell, kept aboard because players campaigned for him to stay.

Hurdle will demand hard work of himself and his players. He excels at building confidence, while making himself available to stars and role players alike. Their success is personal to him.

“Clint will be up there battling with them every at-bat. He cares about every single one,” Helton said. “And when you have a guy that you know is in your corner like that, you are going to listen to what he says.”

The core principles of Hurdle’s philosophy have long focused on quality at-bats, productive outs, and a thought process and plan of attack before stepping into the batter’s box.

This will be jarring for some Rockies hitters. Expect the Rockies to advance a runner to third with less than two outs. And if history is any indication, they will actually have a two-strike approach that doesn’t involve launch angle and swinging hard enough to see a chiropractor.

The days of feeling good about mindless 0-fers are over. Hurdle will teach them to hit through his wit, and won’t be afraid to challenge this collection of underachievers.

He is a coach, however, not a panacea.

Schmidt bears a significant amount of responsibility for this team’s failings the past two-plus seasons. The Rockies lineup lacks talent. And he put this roster together.

They have cornered the market on fourth outfielders and utilitymen. And when Nick Martini and Kyle Farmer are your best players, not top prospects, it speaks volumes of the challenge facing Hurdle beginning with the Nationals on Friday.

Schmidt and Black told us at fanfest that the rotation would receive a boost with German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela back, that the young players would take the next step, and that Bryant would be a huge part of this heavy lift (that is when anyone with eyes stopped taking them seriously).

Monfort must continue his audit beyond Meulens. The Rockies are in a youth movement, and the kids are not getting better. Rockies executives and coaches have an annoying habit of taking credit when prospects hit and blaming the players when they don’t. It has left Schmidt and Black coated in Teflon.

That has to change. Nobody should feel safe over the next five months.

Hurdle will be a hit. And hopefully his success inspires a years-overdue reality check for a franchise that too often whiffs on accountability.

Colorado managed just four hits in a 2-0 loss to the Padres on Saturday night.

Kyle Farmer hit a bloop double in the fourth and a single in the ninth. Nick Martini hit a leadoff, pinch-hit single in the eighth. Rookie outfielder Zac Veen flashed his speed to beat out an infield single in the ninth.

The Veen-Farmer combo gave the Rockies a fighting chance in the ninth, but Padres super closer Robert Suarez struck out Ryan McMahon for the second out. The game ended with San Diego right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. making a terrific catch to rob Kris Bryant of extra base.

So, for the second game in a row, the Rockies failed to score a run at San Diego’s Petco Park. They lost 8-0 Friday night, managing only three hits, all by Farmer.

“The big hit has eluded us in more games than not,” Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters in San Diego. ” ‘K.B.’ stung that ball, but Tatis is an All-Star and a really good fielder. He went back and got that ball. That’s baseball. But there is no doubt our offense has to get going.”

Colorado center fielder Brenton Doyle missed his second consecutive game because of a left quadriceps strain. He’s been one of Colorado’s few offensive forces early on.

The Rockies (3-11) have scored 40 runs to start the 2025 season, the fewest in the majors. They have scored two or fewer runs in nine of their first 14 games. That won’t get it done.

San Diego right-hander Kyle Hart pitched six scoreless innings, striking out four and walking none.

Dollander, 23, making his second big-league start, illustrated what all of the hoopla is about.

The right-hander pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on just three hits. He struck out seven and walked two.

“When you talk about pitching, the first thing people say is, ‘Tell me about his stuff,’ ” Black said. “Chase has got good stuff. I really liked his fastball (tonight). The cutter was sharp. He mixed in some curveballs and threw a couple of changeups to the lefties. I thought he threw well.”

Unfortunately for Dollander, two of the hits were home runs. Tatis led off the Padres’ first wth a blast to deep center, punishing Dollander’s 3-2 fastball. Jayson Heyward hit a one-out, solo homer to right in the fifth. Heyward ripped Dollander’s 1-0, 97.3 mph fastball 410 feet.

Asked by Rockies.TV what he needed to improve going forward, Dollander replied, “Just focus on execution. Just being locked in on every pitch. There were a couple of times (tonight) where I kind of got lazy and threw up a heater, and they took advantage of it. I didn’t execute when I needed to execute.”

The Padres will hunt for the three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s pitching matchup

Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-2, 3.79 ERA) at Padres RHP Michael King (2-0, 4.05)

2:10 p.m. Sunday, Petco Park

TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

�鲹�徱��:��850 AM, 94.1 FM

Trending: Second baseman Kyle Farmer has been the Rockies’ most consistent hitter. He had all three of Colorado’s hits in an 8-0 loss to the Padres Friday night. He entered Saturday night’s game riding an 11-game on-base streak.

Pitching probables

Monday: Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (0-2, 5.14) at Dodgers RHP Dustin May (0-1, 0.82), 8:10 p.m.

Tuesday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (0-0, 2.81) at Dodgers TBA, 8:10 p.m.

Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

Not surprisingly, we have several questions regarding oft-injured designated hitter Kris Bryant, who’s off to a slow start.

How much longer do you think the Rockies will ride with Kris Bryant? With our young outfield depth, it’s getting disappointing seeing Bryant taking up a spot while he is underperforming and spending two-thirds of the year on the injured list. Is there a point this year when the Rox say enough is enough?

— Thomas, Norwood

Thomas, many fans share your frustration. Bryant is 0 for 10 with five strikeouts and two walks over his first three games. That’s a tiny sample size, but that slow start comes after he hit .129 (4 for 31) with one home run and one double in spring training.

He’s looked bad at the plate, too. Pitchers feed him pitches down and away, and he’s waving over the top. He’s also getting beat by fastballs. I’m told that Bryant’s bad back is OK. The explanation from the Rockies is that Bryant’s timing is off: late to the fastball and early on off-speed pitches.

Bryant is not taking any outfield time away from prospects because he’s just a designated hitter now. Still, he’s taking up a roster spot and playing time. The Rockies are not going to bail on his massive contract (four years left at $107 million), at least not yet, but I don’t understand why he’s hitting cleanup.

If the Rockies hold onto Bryant the entire season, they should sit him on the bench when he’s not producing.

Hi Patrick. For some reason, I thought about your dad and how great a newspaperman he was! He would be so proud of your work, which is great. I must admit I have given up on Kris Bryant. I hope he will take a longer-term buyout and let a younger player get an opportunity. His back keeps holding him back with no real hope of it holding up over a long season. At some point, let����ap move on. What are your thoughts? Is he on the bubble to not make the final roster? Or on a trajectory where the Rockies would make a move with him?

— Paul, Aurora

Paul, first off all, thanks for the kind words about my dad, the late Dusty Saunders. He’s been gone almost three years. I love the term “newspaper man.” He indeed was that. Unfortunately, those days are gone for good. In his later years, he despaired about what was happening to the newspaper industry.

Anyway, to continue the conversation about Bryant, there is no way he’ll take a “buyout” at a discount. The Rockies will give him a long leash before they say that enough is enough. I don’t know how long that leash is, but if Bryant isn’t producing by the end of April, they have cut him loose.

Back in 2022, during Bryant’s first season with the Rockies, a front-office person told me that the contract was “an albatross.” How right he was.

Hey Patrick, what are your thoughts on Mickey Moniak? It seemed like he was going to be an absolute stud coming out of high school, but his career never seemed to take off. Would this be his diamond-in-the-rough year, like Nolan Jones in 2023?

— Marshall, Parker

Marshall, I’m not sure what to make of Moniak. He did launch a pinch-hit homer on Sunday in Tampa Bay, but I don’t think the Rockies see him as a potential starter. General manager Bill Schmidt told me that the Moniak signing “gives us some quality depth on the bench,” but I would be shocked if Moniak becomes more than a role player unless there are injuries.

Moniak, a No. 1 pick by the Phillies in 2016, was traded to the Angels in 2022 as part of the Noah Syndergaard deal. He’s struggled to live up to the hype of being a top prospect, putting up just 0.9 WAR over his five seasons. He seemed to be turning things around in 2023, posting a .802 OPS and hitting 14 home runs in 85 games. But he struggled last season, slashing .219/.266/.380 with 14 homers over 124 games.

What have the Rockies done to address their differences on the road vs. home games?

— Nathan Ryno, Artesia, Calif.

Nathan, that has been a question for 33 years. The Rockies’ dilemma of hitting at altitude at Coors Field vs. hitting on the road has never been solved.

Early this season, the Rockies say they will be more aggressive on the bases, even though they have stolen just two bases in four attempts over four games. That relatively low number is primarily due to the team not getting on base enough. Colorado has enough speed and athleticism to play a version of small ball on the road, but they have to get on base first, and that’s been a problem. Through their first four games, the Rockies had struck out 44 times at a 30.8% clip. Only the Nationals (32.4%) had whiffed at a higher rate.

Two questions:

1. Why would the Rockies trade Nolan Jones for Tyler Freeman? After all, if Nolan Jones has a great season like in 2023, he could be crucial to the Rockies doing well with his offense and defense. Tyler Freeman has been a pretty average player and will probably not help too much.

2. Do you think that there is a chance that someone can make it to the Home Run Derby in 2025? Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle and Michael Toglia all hit over 20 homers in 2024 and still can improve a lot.

— Weston K., Golden

Weston, regarding the Jones trade, the Rockies concluded that he was never going to be the player he was in 2023. With the injury to Thairo Estrada, they needed infield depth, hence the trade. Long term, Colorado believes Zac Veen will surpass anything Jones would have done.

Regarding the Home Run Derby, the Rockies have no legitimate candidates. I suppose Toglia could get hot and sneak into the derby, but I doubt it.

It became the hot take of the year that the Rockies ditched the youth movement by choosing Nick Martini over Zac Veen, but I see Martini as the veteran bench bat and not a starter. It seemed that Veen was outplayed by another young player looking for a chance, in Sean Bouchard, and they decided Jordan Beck was ahead of Veen on the depth chart. If one of the two does badly, I’m sure Veen gets his shot. What did you think of the move? What would Patrick Saunders have done as Rockies GM?

— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins

Isaac, my initial thought would have been to put Veen on the roster and start him as a corner outfielder. Why not give him a chance at the big-league level? If he fails, send him back down to Triple-A. I thought the Rockies were being much too conservative, as is often the case.

However, after talking to several people in the organization, I understand why the club is holding Veen back for a while. He doesn’t have many plate appearances in pro baseball, is a bit reckless on the bases and needs to fine-tune his defensive skills. During spring training, the Rockies thought he needed more seasoning. He missed some signs at the plate and had too many empty at-bats against established pitchers.

Plus, the Rockies believe Jordan Beck is more major-league ready. I predict Veen will be up sooner rather than later. By that, I mean we’ll see him before the end of May.

Can you please make sense of the Rockies’ plan for the outfield? I thought there was plenty of depth and a healthy mix of young guys and veterans pushing each other in spring training. And in the blink of an eye, they banished Zac Veen to Triple-A, shipped out Greg and Nolan Jones, and replaced them with underwhelming outsiders in Tyler Freeman and Mickey Moniak. What����ap the harm in throwing homegrown young guys into the fire for a losing franchise with a 0.001% chance of making the playoffs this season?

— Dan, Denver

Dan, you make some good points. See my responses regarding Veen and Jones above. The key question is, why aren’t the Rockies going all-in with their youth movement? To reiterate, they gave up on Jones being their starter in left field and don’t think Veen is quite ready for the majors.

Did the Rockies miss out on this young man? Isaac Collins was a Brewers Rule 5 claim from the Rockies.

— John Paul, Denver

John, I’ll admit I didn’t pay attention to Collins’ career after Milwaukee selected him in the first round of the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft in December 2022. But, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal article you sent me,

Time will tell if the Rockies “missed out” or not.

Hi Patrick, thanks for all your informative information all season. Will the Rockies ever give up on Tyler Kinley and Kris Bryant?  Do you think Dick Montfort will ever hire a president for the team. Thanks so much.

— Allan Bock, Boulder

Allan, Kinley has good stuff and it’s too early to give up on him as a set-up man. He’s not the only reliever hit hard in the first four games. See above for my thoughts on the Bryant topic.