They took several walks in the ballpark on Friday night and rallied from an early 6-0 deficit to stun the Rockies, 8-6. The Braves have won 12 of their last 15 games at Coors.

The Braves’ go-ahead run was a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth by Michael Harris II off Colorado reliever Juan Mejia. Jonah Heim drew a walk from Mejia to lead off the inning.

Atlanta capitalized on three Rockies walks in the eighth inning — two by Zach Agnos, one by Jaden Hill — to score four runs and tie the game, 6-6. The walks set the table for Mauricio Dubon’s three-run triple into the right-field corner off Hill. Austin Riley’s sacrifice fly to right tied the game.

Friday marked the second straight home game that the Rockies’ bullpen gave up a lead of six or more runs. Relievers gave up eight runs to the Padres on April 23. But Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer didn’t buy the theory that Agnos, Hill and Mejia were “pitching too fine” because they were scared of giving up hits at Coors late in the game.

“Our guys haven’t done that much this year, so I’m going to say no to that,” Schaeffer said. “I can see that (given) the history of this ballpark, but this is the big leagues, and you can’t be scared.

“I don’t think that Agnos, or Jaden Hill, or Juan were scared tonight. They just didn’t throw the strikes that we needed.”

The Rockies, back home after an encouraging 4-2 road trip, were in control of the game early behind another strong start from veteran left-hander Jose Quintana and another big night from Mickey Moniak, who extended his hitting streak to 15 games. ĚýDuring the streak, Moniak is slashing .368/.429/.684 with four home runs and nine RBIs.

The Rockies appeared to have the Braves on the ropes. But the Rockies managed just one hit after the third inning, and their failure to expand the lead cost them — as it so often does at Coors Field. Right-hander Grant Holmes started throwing effective cutters, and the Rockies failed to adjust. Then three Atlanta relievers blanked Colorado for the final four innings.

“We have to keep going there,” Schaeffer said. “We know where we play, and we know that anything can happen here. We need to continue with the offense.”

The Braves have a major league-best 23-10 record and notched their 12th comeback in. But the Rockies (14-19) blitzed them with a five-run, five-hit first inning. Edouard Julien drew a leadoff walk from Holmes, and then the Rockies banged out five straight hits: a single by Moniak; a double by Hunter Goodman; an RBI single by TJ Rumfield; an RBI safety-squeeze bunt single by Tyler Freemand, and a single to left by Troy Johnston. Toss in an RBI groundout by Willi Castro and a throwing error by first baseman Matt Olson, and the Rockies were cruising.

Moniak’s leadoff 439-foot homer to the second deck in right gave Colorado a 6-0 lead in the second inning. It was Moniak’s 10th homer, tying him with Goodman for the team lead.

Quintana had no trouble taming the potent, but free-swinging Braves lineup. He pitched a season-high six innings, allowing one run on five hits. He struck out three, walked none, and generated 12 swings and misses. His off-speed pitches kept the Braves guessing, and they didn’t make a lot of hard contact.

“Being ahead in counts was the key for me,” Quintana said.Ěý “I have been working really hard to attack the zone better and I’ve made a few adjustments to my grip to pitch here in Denver.”

Quintana’s one mistake was leaving a 2-2, 79 mph slurve over the plate in the fourth. Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson blasted the pitch for a 415-foot solo homer to right.

Pitching probables

Saturday: Braves LHP Chris Sale (5-1, 2.31 ERA) at Rockies TBA (opener), 6:10 p.m.
Sunday: Braves TBA at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-2, 3.48), 1:10 p.m.

TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Ěý

Colorado (6-9) wasted an early 4-0 lead, walked seven Padres batters, and lost, 9-5, at Petco Park. Four of the seven walks turned into runs.

Three consecutive losses to the Padres have erased the feel-good vibes from Colorado’s four-game winning streak.

Key moments: The Rockies led 4-3 in the fourth when starter Ryan Feltner gave up a one-out double to Miguel Andujar, a walk to Freddy Fermin, and a two-out, three-run home run to Ramon Laureano.

Colorado loaded the bases in the ninth, but San Diego super closer Jason Adam got Ezequiel Tovar to pop out to second, ending the game. Adam has yet to give up a run this season.

Who’s hot: Mickey Moniak, who started in right field and hit third, hit a two-run homer in the first and a solo homer in the third. He also drove in Ezequiel Tovar with a single in the eighth for his fourth home run of the night.ĚýMoniak has a team-leading four home runs.

Leadoff hitter and second baseman Edouard Julien is hitting .344 after a 2-for-3 night that included a solo home run and two walks.

Jordan Beck continues struggling at the plate (0 for 3, his average down to .103), but he made a sensational, running, leaping catch in left field to rob the Padres’ Nick Castellanos of a three-run homer in the first inning.

Who’s not: Starting pitcher Ryan Feltner was not sharp. He fell behind in counts, and it cost him, especially in the third inning when Manny Machado ambushed Feltner’s 3-0 fastball for a two-run homer. Feltner gave up seven hits and six runs over four innings as his ERA rose to 7.30.

Right-handed reliever Zach Agnos walked three straight batters — and walked in a run — in the sixth. He was charged with three runs (two earned) in 1 1/3 innings. His ERA rose to 7.56.

Worth noting: Right-hander German Marquez, the former Rockies All-Star, started for San Diego. The Rockies beat him up pretty good, hitting three homers, but he hung around for five innings and picked up the win.

Pitching probables

Sunday: LHP Kyle Freeland (1-1, 2.30 ERA) at Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (1-2, 5.54), 2:10 p.m.

Monday: Off day

Tuesday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 9.00) at Astros TBD, 6:10 p.m.

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: KOA NewsRadio 850 AM & 94.1 FM

Colorado entered the fifth inning of the series opener against the Astros down 3-0, and got two runs the honest way when Edouard Julien singled home a couple to cut the score to 3-2.

Then came the help from the LoDo heavens in a 9-7 win, marking the Rockies’ first consecutive victories this season.

“We put the pressure on the Astros today,” said right fielder Troy Johnston, who led the way with three hits, two RBIs, two runs scored and a mega homer. “They had a spot starter, and some trouble in the bullpen, and we took advantage.”

The Rockies plated six runs with two outs in the fifth, and Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena was at the center of three plays that extended the inning when it should’ve been over.

Pena took a bad first step off the bat on a Hunter Goodman grounder to the shortstop’s left, turning a likely out into a single. The next batter, Johnston, hit a chopper up the middle. Pena was shifted perfectly up the middle to field it and step on second for the third out, but the grounder careened off the bag into the outfield for an RBI double.

When Johnston got to second, he let out an animated shrug.

“I thought Pena made an error on the play,” Johnston said. “(Houston second baseman Jose) Altuve told me it was a double, and I didn’t believe him until I looked up at the board and saw the replay. (Sometimes) it’s better to be lucky than good.”

After T.J. Rumfield cashed in on that fortuitous home-field bounce with a two-RBI triple the next at-bat, Willi Castro roped an RBI single to make it a taco’s inning. Pena then committed an error, booting an easy grounder by Brenton Doyle, that enabled Kyle Karros to hit an RBI single a couple batters later.

All that gave Colorado an 8-3 lead, the most runs the club’s scored in an inning this season, and left the Astros visibly relieved when they jogged off the field following Julien’s lineout to left that ended the frame after 14 batters.

“It was nice to see the boys passing the baton, getting the next guy to the plate any way they could,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “We took balls and we looked a lot more comfortable tonight.”

The 14-batter inning was the most for the Rockies since 2018, when they did so in a game against the Cardinals in Denver.

It was Houston that had all the momentum prior to that at-bat parade. The Astros scored twice in the opening inning off right-hander Ryan Feltner via a double by Carlos Correa and a single by Christian Walker. Then, the visitors made it 3-0 in the fourth when Cam Smith blasted a 462-foot tank to dead center off a piped Feltner fastball, the longest homer in the majors this season.

Feltner still ended up getting the win, his first such decision since September 17, 2024, in what Schaeffer called “an outing to build on.”

But after the Rockies put together their big inning off the combination of Houston pitchers Cody Bolton (making his first career start) and Ryan Weiss — a frame that also featured three walks and a sacrifice bunt — the Colorado bullpen ensured the Astros weren’t able to fully rally. Through 10 games, relievers have been a strength for the Rockies (4-6).

Houston scored one in the sixth after Feltner loaded the bases, resulting in the end of his night, but Jimmy Herget escaped the jam with only a sacrifice fly. Colorado got that run back in the bottom of the frame thanks to Johnston’s no-doubt homer to right, and the right fielder was greeted with a new celebratory purple fur coat in the dugout following the 407-foot mash.

Johnston was sitting slider on his first-pitch homer off Weiss, and the pitcher put one right in his wheelhouse. That capped a strong night for Johnston, who started out the evening with a surprise bunt single to lead off the second inning, when the ball stopped right on the line just short of third base.

Even with the Rockies in command following the fifth, in typical Coors Field fashion, the game wasn’t over until it was over.

The Astros ripped Zach Agnos in the eighth to make it 9-7, and Agnos was pulled with one out and two men in scoring position, including the tying run at second base. But Juan Mejia induced a flyout and a groundout to end the threat, then set Houston down in order in the ninth for his first save of the season and second of his career.

“That was two huge outs in the eighth inning, and then (Mejia) came back out and did the same thing in the ninth,” Schaeffer said. “His stuff is nasty and he’s got a low heartbeat, so it’s a good combo.”

Of note, the Rockies had starter Michael Lorenzen warming up in the ninth should Mejia have gotten into trouble. Schaeffer said that will be a staple for the Rockies moving forward on the right-hander’s bullpen days.

“Instead of him throwing a bullpen, he’s going to be available for an inning out of the ‘pen,” Schaeffer said. “He’s come out of the ‘pen many times in his career. He wants to help the team, and we’re going to let him.”

The three-game series resumes on Tuesday night when southpaw Kyle Freeland takes on Houston right-hander Mike Burrows.

Dominated by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (six innings, one run, four hits, four strikeouts), and hurt by the loss of starting pitcher Ryan Feltner to an injury in the third inning, the Rockies lost 5-1 to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Colorado has opened the season 1-4.

Key moments: Feltner was terrific for three innings — no runs, one hit, one walk, four strikeouts — but Andres Gimenez hit a 106 mph line drive off Feltner’s right hip with two outs in the third. Feltner finished the inning but was then removed from the game. He dodged a major injury, manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters after the game. The injury was diagnosed as a right glute contusion. Feltner told reporters he expects to make his next start.

The Rockies stayed alive until Toronto ripped reliever Zach Agnos for three runs on five consecutive hits in the seventh inning.

Who’s hot: Catcher Hunter Goodman, hitting .350 in the early going, crushed a 435-foot homer off Scherzer with one out in the sixth. It was Goodman’s first homer of the season.

Rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield, who was the designated hitter Tuesday night, hit 3 for 4 and boosted his average to .444. However, Rumfield made a crucial mistake in the seventh when he was picked off second base for the final out. Colorado trailed 2-1 at the time.

Who’s not: New left fielder Jake McCarthy hit a two-out double in the eighth, but he’s opened the season hitting just .111 (2 for 18).

Agnos, who had a terrific spring training, gave up seven hits in two innings and saw his ERA rise to 8.10.

Worth noting: Through its first five games, no Colorado starter has managed to throw five innings or more. Every other team in the majors has had at least one starter pitch at least five innings.

Pitching probables

Wednesday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-1, 4.15 ERA) at Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (0-0, 1.50), 11:07 a.m.

Thursday: Off day

Friday: Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (0-0, 5.40) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-0, 6.22), 2:10 p.m.

The Rockies added three veteran starters — Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Jose Quintana — to stabilize a rotation that posted an all-time worst 6.65 ERA last season. A new front office, led by the president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, also added outfielder Jake McCarthy, second baseman Willi Castro, and first baseman TJ Rumfield, all of whom will likely start on Opening Day.

Here is the Rockies’ 26-man roster for Friday’s game vs. the Marlins in Miami:

Starting Rotation

LHP Kyle Freeland

Freeland, the longest-tenured Rockie on the roster and a clubhouse leader, faces a critical season. The Denver native is entering what could be the final year of his contract, so he needs a solid season, not only for the team’s rebuild but for his own future. The lefty was 5-17 with a 4.98 ERA last season.

Key 2025 number: 14. Number of quality starts, most on the team. Freeland was 5-4 with a 2.65 ERA in those starts.

Worth noting: Freeland must pitch 170 innings this season to trigger his $17 million vesting option with Colorado.

RHP Tomoyuki Sugano

The Rockies signed the 36-year-old veteran to bring a veteran presence to the rotation. During his legendary career in Japan, he was known for his durability. He made 30 starts for Baltimore last season, his first in the majors, while posting a 4.64 ERA.

Key 2025 number: 33. Home runs he gave up last season with the Orioles, the most in the American League. How is that going to play at Coors Field?

Worth noting: Sugano pitched 12 seasons for the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball, where he won two Sawamura Awards (Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award) in 2017 and 2018, and three MVP Awards in 2014, 2020 and 2024.

LHP Jose Quintana

He’s 37, but he’s crafty and considered a clubhouse leader. That’s why the Rockies signed him to a one-year $6 million contract in hopes he can improve a shaky rotation.

Key 2025 number: 3.96. His ERA across 24 starts for Milwaukee, which helped the Brewers post the best regular-season record in the majors.

Worth noting: Since 2022, the lefty has a 3.53 ERA that ranks in the top 40 among any pitcher with at least 300 innings over the last four seasons.

RHP Michael Lorenzen

The 34-year-old journeyman was Colorado’s biggest offseason expenditure, signing a free-agent deal that pays him $8 million this season and includes a club option worth $9 million in 2027. He’s the poster boy for Colorado’s plan to have its pitchers expand their repertoires. According to Lorenzen, he throws eight different pitches: three different fastballs, two kinds of changeups, a slider, a sweeper, and a curve.

Key 2025 number: 8.1. Strikeouts per nine innings last season with Kansas City, a career high.

Worth noting: He threw a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Nationals on August 9, 2023, walking four and striking out five.

RHP Ryan Feltner

The Rockies have long believed that Feltner has the stuff to dominate hitters. New pitching coach Alon Leichman says the right-hander has All-Star potential. But Feltner must stay healthy and needs to command his pitches better than he did in spring training.

Key 2025 number: 30.1. Big-league innings pitched last season, when injuries limited Feltner to just six starts.

Worth noting: In 2024, Feltner posted a 2.98 ERA over his last 15 starts, the first Rockies starter with a sub-3.00 ERA in a 15-start span since German Marquez during his All-Star campaign in 2021.

Bullpen

RHP Victor Vodnik

The right-hander throws hard (98.7 mph fastball) and attacks hitters. The Rockies love that about him, even if they aren’t going to start the season with a designated closer. Vodnik had some ups and downs last season, but he posted a 1.07 ERA with eight saves in nine opportunities over his final 17 appearances.

Key 2025 number: 10. Saves last season in 15 opportunities.

Worth noting: Posted a 1.33 ERA in 26 games at Coors Field last season, the lowest home ERA in franchise history (minimum 25 innings pitched).

RHP Zach Agnos

The Rockies expect big things from the right-hander in his second season. He had a terrific spring training, posting a 0.82 WHIP as he pounded the strike zone.

Key 2025 number: 12.33. ERA over his final 16 appearances as he battled an elbow injury.

Worth noting: Was 4 for 4 in save opportunities last season, becoming the first player in franchise history to record a save in his first four career save opportunities.

RHP Jimmy Herget

The veteran with the unique delivery was Colorado’s best pitcher last season. His 2.48 ERA was the 10th-lowest by a reliever in franchise history, the lowest since Daniel Bard’s 1.79 ERA in 2022. Herget could play several roles this season, including opener or piggyback reliever if the Rockies use that strategy.

Key 2025 number: 1.67. Road ERA in 31 appearances was the fourth-lowest among all relievers (minimum 30 innings pitched).

Worth noting: Rob Friedman, an analyst who runs The Pitching Ninja website, nicknamed Herget “The Human Glitch.”

LHP Brennan Bernardino

Desperate for a left-hander in the bullpen, the Rockies acquired Bernardino from the Red Sox in exchange for outfield prospect Braiden Ward. Bernardino, 34, put up a solid 3.14 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 55 outings last year. Opponents hit just .205 against him.

Key 2025 number: 4.5. Walks per nine innings last season, a high number that would haunt him at Coors Field.

Worth noting: During his early years in the minors, Bernardino worked as a Lyft driver, warehouse stocker, and construction laborer to supplement his income.

RHP Jaden Hill

He made the team when hard-throwing right-hander Seth Halvorsen was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs late in spring training. Hill made his debut last season and fared well, posting a 3.38 ERA in 28 games.

Key 2025 number: 5.28. His ERA at Coors Field in 15 appearances vs. a 1.19 ERA in 13 appearances on the road.

Worth noting: Hill worked overtime on his slider during spring training, a pitch he needs to be more effective vs. left-handed hitters.

RHP Chase Dollander

The right-hander’s erratic spring training landed him in the bullpen to begin the season. Still, he has the biggest upside of any Rockies pitcher since Ubaldo Jimenez, despite major growing pains last season as a rookie when he was 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA.

Key 2025 number: 9.98. His ERA in 11 starts at Coors Field, including 12 home runs served up in 51 innings.

Worth noting: The right-hander’s four-seam fastball averaged 97.8 mph last season, ranking in the top 6% in the majors.

RHP Juan Mejia

Started last season with Triple-A Albuquerque and was promoted to the Rockies on April 24. He impressed Colorado’s staff, especially manager Warren Schaeffer, with his sharp fastball-slider combination.

Key 2025 number: 3.96. His ERA over 55 big-league appearances. Not bad for a rookie reliever.

Worth noting: Pitched 33 consecutive outings without allowing a home run (June 11-Aug. 31), the longest streak for a Rockies reliever since Justin Lawrence’s 37-game stretch in 2023.

RHP Antonio Senzatela

The veteran right-hander started last season as a starter but finished in the bullpen after hitters continually feasted on his fastball. The Rockies worked to expand his repertoire this spring.

Key 2025 number: .347. Opponents’ average against Senzatela, which was the highest in the majors last season.

Worth noting: Senzatela will make $12 million this season, and there is a $14 million club option for 2027.

Catcher

Hunter Goodman

Colorado’s lone All-Star last season wants to keep raking, but he also wants to improve his skills behind the plate. His 31 home runs, 150 hits, 64 extra-base hits, and 91 RBIs were all the most by a Rockies’ primary catcher in a single season in franchise history.

Key 2025 number: Seven. Home runs hit in the ninth inning last season, the second most in the majors behind Seattle star Cal Raleigh (eight).

Worth noting: Last season, Goodman was the first NL catcher to hit 30 home runs in a season since the Braves’ Javy Lopez hit 43 in 2003.

Brett Sullivan

The 32-year-old has played in just 43 big-league games, including three with Pittsburgh last season, with a slash line of .204/.250/.291. But the Rockies like his defense, so they picked him over Braxton Fulford as the backup catcher.

Key 2025 number: .167. His batting average in three games with the Pirates.

Worth noting: He’s out of options, so he’ll need to stick on the major league roster or be exposed to waivers.

First base

TJ Rumfield

Acquired from the Yankees in an offseason trade for reliever Angel Chivilli, Rumfield will likely make his major league debut on Friday. Rumfield posted above-average numbers at every stop in the minors, including his nearly two full seasons in Triple-A.

Key 2025 number: 16. Home runs hit last season for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Worth noting: The left-handed hitter went unselected in last December’s Rule 5 draft.

Troy Johnston

The Rockies claimed the 28-year-old left-hander off waivers from the Marlins in November after he hit .277 with four homers in 44 games. At Triple-A Jacksonville, he slashed 252/.333/.439, with 12 homers, over 84 games.

Key 2025 number: 108. Innings he played at first base last season — without making an error.

Worth noting: In 2023, he was the Marlins’ minor league player of the year.

Second base

Willi Castro

Signed to a two-year, $12.8 million deal in January, he provides Colorado with infield versatility because he can play second, third and shortstop, as well as all three outfield positions. He was an All-Star with the Twins in 2024.

Key 2025 number: .226. Batting average last season with the Cubs, a big step down from his .244 career average.

Worth noting: Castro, a switch-hitter, has good speed and the Rockies hope he can help spark their running game.

Edouard Julien

Acquired in a trade with Minnesota, Julien can play both first and second base. He’s hoping to regain the magic of this 2023 rookie season with the Twins when he posted a .263/.381/.459 slash line with 16 home runs. Since then, however, Julien has struggled, producing a .623 OPS over 509 plate appearances from 2024-25.

Key 2025 number: .220. His batting average with the Twins last season when he played in only 64 games.

Worth noting: Julien, who was born in Quebec, played for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

Third base

Kyle Karros

Many, including Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer, believe Castro can be a Gold Glove third baseman. However, he has work to do at the plate. In 43 games as a rookie last season, Karros slashed .226/.308/.277 with four doubles, just one home run, and nine RBIs.

Key 2025 number: .306. Average in 16 Triple-A games last season before his promotion to the Rockies.

Worth noting: He’s the son of Eric Karros, who played 14 seasons in the majors, most of them with the Dodgers. Eric had a career .268 batting average and slugged 284 homers.

Shortstop

Ezequiel Tovar

A Gold Glove winner in 2024, Tovar suffered from hip and oblique injuries during a disappointing 2025 season. He’s primed for a comeback season and is Colorado’s best position player.

Key 2025 number: 95. Number of games played last season, hitting .253 with nine home runs.

Worth noting: Tovar was outstanding for the Venezuelan team that won the WBC. In six games, he hit .471 (8 for 17) with three doubles and two steals.

Left field

Jake McCarthy

Seeking speed and versatility, Colorado acquired McCarthy from the Diamondbacks in January for minor league right-hander Josh Grosz. The left-handed-hitting McCarthy, 28, slashed .260/.324/.381 with 24 home runs and 83 steals across five seasons with Arizona.

Key 2025 number: .204. Big-league average last season that included just four home runs and 20 RBIs. He played 49 games at Triple-A Reno, where he batted .314.

Worth noting: According to Statcast, McCarthy ranks in the 99th percentile in sprint speed in the majors.

Center field

Brenton Doyle

In 2023-24, he became the first outfielder in National League history to win a Gold Glove in his first two major league seasons. But he had a difficult 2025 season offensively when he hit just .233 with 15 home runs.

Key 2025 number: .344. Batting average, including seven home runs and 22 RBIs in August.

Worth noting: Hit just .193 (53-for-274) over 71 games entering July last season.

Right field

Jordan Beck

Beck seems primed for a breakout season as he moves from left field to right field. Last season, he was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on April 7 after starting the season 3-for-20 (.150) over nine games, but was recalled on April 19 and put together a solid .258/.416/.732 slash line and 16 home runs.

Key 2025 number: 19. Stolen bases, most on the club.

Worth noting: He had 12 outfield assists last season, the second-most in the majors and tied for the third-most outfield assists in a single season by a Colorado outfielder since 2007.

Designated hitter/right fielder

Mickey Moniak

Signed by Colorado just a day before the 2025 season opener, Moniak had a breakout year, setting career highs in games (135), runs (62), hits (117), triples (eight), home runs (24), RBIs (68) and stolen bases (nine). He’ll be counted on to spark Colorado’s offense.

Key 2025 number: Four. Consecutive games in which he homered, from Sept. 14-18. He became the first Rockie to homer in four straight since Ryan McMahon from May 26-29, 2023.

Worth noting: Was selected first overall by the Phillies in the 2016 MLB draft.

Bench/Utility

Ryan Ritter

Last year, after mashing at Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, Ritter got his big-league call-up on June 6 and batted .241/.296/.337 in 60 games with nine doubles, three triples, and one home run. He played mostly second base with occasional stints at shortstop.

Key 2025 number: .206. His batting average on the road in 24 games. Like most of his teammates, he was a much better hitter at Coors Field, where he hit .261 in 36 games.

Worth noting: Ritter got some playing time in left field during spring training, adding to his versatility.

Those factors, plus multiple intangibles, are running through the baseball brains of Rockies head honchos Paul DePodesta, Josh Byrnes, and Warren Schaeffer as they look toward the season opener on March 27 at Miami.

Who will be the fifth starter? Chase Dollander or Ryan Feltner? Or perhaps a retooled Antonio Senzatela. It’s doubtful, but perhaps righty Tanner Gordon works his way into the mix.

Is slick-fielding third baseman Kyle Karros ready for a full season against major league pitching? Or would a stint at Triple-A Albuquerque do him good? Schaffer and the front office are debating that.

Will the Rockies, who have a surplus of young outfielders, make a spring training trade? It’s very possible.

Will the Rockies stock their bullpen with long relievers, enabling them to “piggyback” some of their starters? And what other pitching experiments are in store for 2026? That’s a mystery that’s still unsolved.

So many questions in need of solid answers as the Rockies attempt to rise from the rubble of their 119-loss season in 2025. They have 13 exhibition games left to go before they decide on their 26-man roster.

Here is my — qualified — projected roster:

Starting rotation

Veteran left-handers Kyle Freeland and Jose Quintana, and veteran right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano form the core four. If the Rockies go with a traditional five-man rotation, that leaves that one spot open.

I’ll go with Dollander, who’s had a nice spring. He’s their top pitcher, in terms of talent, and I don’t think he’s going to learn much more pitching at Triple-A.

Feltner, who still has options, could begin the season with the Isotopes or even become a long reliever for Colorado. Senzatela likely pitches out of the bullpen, where he finished last season. Reports are that he’s become more than a predictable and highly hittable fastball pitcher. I’m not sold yet.

Bullpen

This is a tough call because there are so many moving parts right now. Schaeffer has said he’s not going to open the season with a specific closer, so that adds more intrigue as camp begins to wind down.

Plus, the Rockies could use options — and even the injured list — to shuttle multiple relievers between Triple-A and the big-league team, a la the Dodgers.

The locks: Right-handers Seth Halvorsen, Jimmy Herget, Zach Agnos, Victor Vodnik, Juan Mejia, and Senzatela, and lefty Brennan Bernardino.

In the mix: Right-handers Keegan Thompson, Jaden Hill, and 35-year-old John Brebbia.

Catcher

All-Star Hunter Goodman will get the bulk of the games, but speedy Braxton Fulford is not a lock as the No. 2 backstop. Left-handed-hitting Brett Sullivan has had a solid camp, plus, he’s got more experience as a game-caller than Fulford does. Tough call here, but I’ll go with Fulford and his athleticism.

Infield

This is tricky, and it could come down to the final week of camp.

Rookie TJ Rumsfield has the edge at first base right now, though veteran utility infielder Edouard Julien has much-needed experience. Still, I’m anointing Rumsfeld as the starter.

Blaine Crim has missed most of camp with an oblique strain, so he’s unlikely to make the team out of camp.

Willi Castro is Colorado’s best second baseman, but he could also man third if the Rockies decide to send Karros down. Ezequiel Tovar, of course, is a lock at shortstop. Ryan Ritter, Tyler Freeman, and Julien can all move around the infield, so they’ll battle for a utility role. Ritter, I believe, has made a huge impression on Schaeffer, and I can’t imagine that he doesn’t make the team.

Outfield

The Rockies will begin the season with newcomer Jake McCarthy in left, Brenton Doyle in center, and Jordan Beck in right. Mickey Moniak will be the primary designated hitter and will also fill a backup role in center and right.

The fifth outfield/utility spot could feature Freeman, Castro, Ritter, and possibly Troy Johnston.

That’s according to in the majors. The Rockies, Marlins and Cardinals are the only teams without a player on the list. More than two dozen ESPN baseball experts submitted their top 100 rankings, and the ESPN baseball staff averaged them to create the final list.

I’m tempted to say that the list will put a big chip on the shoulders of three Rockies players: shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, center fielder Brenton Doyle, and, especially, catcher Hunter Goodman. But then, when your team loses 119 games, you don’t get many chips to play with.

For the record, there are 13 shortstops on ESPN’s list, led by Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., who comes in as the third-best player in baseball. The Athletics’ Jacob Wilson is ranked 94th, and the Nationals’ CJ Abrams is No. 98.

It’s hard to believe Tovar is considered a lesser shortstop than Wilson and Abrams, but then, Tovar had a forgettable 2025 season. Left hip and left oblique injuries limited him to 95 games and a .253/.294/.400 slash line.

In 2024, however, Tovar won a Gold Glove Award, led the National League with 45 doubles, and led Colorado with 26 home runs. Prediction: Tovar will be among baseball’s top-10 shortstops in 2026.

Goodman was Colorado’s lone All-Star last season. He admits he needs to become better behind the plate, but he’s a force with a bat in his hand. He hit .278 last season with 31 homers, 28 doubles and five triples.

There are seven catchers on ESPN’s list, led by Seattle sensation Cal Raleigh. The Brewers’ William Contreras (No. 28) is the National League’s top-ranked catcher. I get it, he’s an excellent game-caller in his prime.

Still, Goodman has a right to feel snubbed. After all, last season he led NL catchers in average, home runs, slugging (.520), OPS (.843), and RBIs (91).

Doyle won Gold Gloves in center field in 2023 and ’24, but last season was a “rollercoaster,” as he called it. Injuries, dealing with his wife’s miscarriage, and some flaws in his swing reduced his slash line to a pedestrian .233/.274/.376 with 15 homers and 18 stolen bases in 138 games. That was quite a come-down from ’24 when he slashed .260/.317/.446 with 23 homers and 30 stolen bases in 149 games.

So Doyle is on the outside looking in at the seven other center fielders on ESPN’s top 100, led by Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez (No. 9) and Cubs budding superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong (No. 22). Doyle has the talent to be a dynamic player for many years, but he has a lot to prove.

Hot in the desert. No. 2 prospect Charlie Condon is having a sweet spring, but I don’t see him making the 26-man roster coming out of camp.

The future first baseman/outfielder entered Thursday’s game hitting .467 with a 1.623 OPS, three home runs and five RBIs in 15 at-bats. That’s impressive for a player in his first big-league camp, but manager Warren Schaeffer, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, and Rockies coaches are weighing more than at-bats vs. second-tier pitchers or veterans testing out their spring stuff. Condon still has to prove he can hit big-league fastballs.

However, a strong spring, followed by a solid stint at Triple-A Albuquerque, makes a big-league debut this season a realistic possibility — perhaps before the All-Star break.

Karros watch. Kyle Karros, my pick as Colorado’s breakout player this season, is a future Gold Glove third baseman, at least according to Schaeffer, who’s said more than once this spring.

But that doesn’t mean he’s a lock to make the 26-man roster. DePodesta and company are trying to determine if Karros needs more minor league at-bats before he becomes the everyday third baseman.

Karros made his debut last season, hitting .226 with one home run in 43 games (156 plate appearances). Keep in mind that Karros was worn down by a long season and faced some of the majors’ best pitchers in his short stint with the Rockies.

As the Cactus League continues, the Rockies’ brass will be watching Karros carefully to see if he’s major-league ready at the plate.

But one thing is for certain: When Karros is the starting third baseman, that frees up free-agent signee Willi Castro to play second and gives the Rockies a much better defensive infield.

Fill up the zone. Rockies pitchers, especially the starters, are experimenting with new grips and new pitches this spring. The result has been a lot of walks — 56 in the first 12 Cactus League games. However, one pitcher has been a strike-throwing machine in both games and practice. That’s right-handed reliever Zach Agnos. In his first three appearances (three innings), he’s allowed no runs, fanned five, and walked none.

A healthy Agnos would be a big boost for the back of the bullpen. He held opponents scoreless in 12 of his 14 career games last season, but then his elbow started barking, and he lost his edge. Agnos was on the injured list from July 27 to Sept. 24 with a flexor strain.

10 of the ’25 Rockies’ gnarliest numbers

The 2025 Rockies put up some ugly statistics on their way to the worst season in franchise history. Here are 10 of the gnarliest:

Minus-424: Run differential, the worst in Major League Baseball’s modern era, and the worst in Rockies history by a wide margin. The 2024 Rockies were outscored by a “mere” 247 runs.

.237: Lowest team batting average. Last year’s club hit .242, which had been the worst.

.679: Team OPS, the lowest in franchise history, eclipsing the ’24 team’s .704 OPS. The six worst OPS numbers in team history have come in the last six seasons.

1.582: The 2025 pitching staff gave up a lot of hits and walks, but its WHIP is only the fourth-worst in team history. The 1999 staff had the highest at 1.705.

3.69: Runs scored per game, the fewest in club history. Four of the five lowest-scoring seasons have come since 2022.

6.65: Starting pitchers’ ERA, the worst, by far, in club history. The 1999 rotation posted a 6.19 ERA.

18: Times the Rockies were shut out this season. The old record for being blanked was 16 times, last done in 2021.

251: Home runs allowed by Rockies pitchers, the second most behind the 2019 staff that served up a record 270 homers.

1,021: Runs scored against, second only to the 1999 club, which saw opponents score 1,028 runs.

1,531: Strikeouts for hitters this season, fourth-most in franchise history. The 2024 club whiffed a team-record 1,607 times.

A dreadful three-year run for Rockies baseball

The 2025 Rockies lost 119 games in 2025. It marks the third consecutive season that the Rockies topped 100 losses — the worst three-season stretch in franchise history. As bad as that three-year run has been, it doesn’t rank among the top 10 worst in Major League Baseball’s modern era (since 1901). Here’s how the 2023-25 Rockies compare.

Rank	Seasons	Team	Record (Win %)
1	1915-17	Philadelphia Athletics	134-324 (.293)
2	1940-42	Philadelphia Phillies	135-323 (.295)
3	1962-64	New York Mets	144-340 (.295)
4	1939-41	Philadelphia Phillies	138-320 (.301)
5	1919-21	Philadelphia Athletics	137-310 (.306)
6	1938-40	Philadelphia Phillies	140-314 (.308)
7	1909-11	Boston Doves/Rustlers (Braves)	142-315 (.311)
8	1937-39	St. Louis Browns (Orioles)	144-316 (.313)
9	1925-27	Boston Red Sox	144-315 (.314)
10	1952-54	Pittsburgh Pirates	145-317 (.314)
	2023-25	Colorado RockiesĚý	163-323 (.335)

Source: Baseball Reference.

In trouble from the start

The 2025 Colorado Rockies’ starting rotation was statistically one of the worst in baseball’s modern era (since 1901). The following are the top-10 worst rotations, ranked by ERA:

Rank	Team	Season	ERA	Record	Win %	HRs	Avg.
1	Colorado Rockies	2025	6.654	22-93	.191	152	.307
2	Detroit Tigers	1996	6.643	29-80	.266	153	.303
3	St. Louis Browns	1939	6.34	33-93	.262	85	.314
4	Texas Rangers	2003	6.24	47-65	.420	147	.296
5	Colorado Rockies	1999	6.19	49-65	.430	159	.301
6	Philadelphia Phillies	1930	6.15	42-85	.331	107	.336
7	Minnesota Twins	1995	6.11	35-69	.337	135	.294
8	Philadelphia Phillies	1929	6.03	52-66	.441	90	.321
9	St. Louis Browns	1937	6.01	36-93	.279	111	.313
10	Texas Rangers	2001	6.00	51-58	.468	142	.304

Source: Opta Stats/Colorado Rockies/Baseball Reference

Scoreboard tells the story

The 2025 Rockies set the record for the worst run differential in a season during Major League Baseball’s modern era (since 1901).

Year	Team	Run differential
2025	Colorado Rockies	minus-424
1932	Boston Red Sox	minus-349
1915	Philadelphia Athletics	minus-344
2023	Oakland Athletics	minus-399
2003	Detroit Tigers	minus-337
2019	Detroit Tigers	minus-333
1954	Philadelphia Athletics	minus-333
1962	New York Mets	minus-331
1936	Philadelphia Athletics	minus-331
1916	Philadelphia Athletics	minus-329

Source: Baseball Reference

The Top 10 worst teams in modern Major League Baseball history

A look at the 10 worst teams in modern MLB history by number of losses, a list that includes the 2025 Colorado Rockies.

1. Ěý

Record: 41-121 (.248)

Chicago topped the Mets’ longstanding record, losing 21 straight at one point and posting an ungodly 35% save percentage.

2.

Record: 40-120-1Ěý(.250)

The first-year Mets had a roster of cast-offs from the expansion draft. Seven years later, New York won the World Series.

T-3.

Record: 43-119Ěý(.265)

The Tigers won five of their final six games to avoid passing the Mets. But the rebuild worked, leading to a pennant in 2006.

T-3.

Record: 43-119 (.265)

Colorado had a club-record 13 rookies, set an MLB record for worst run differential and spent $27 million on an injured Kris Bryant.

5.

Record: 36-117-1Ěý(.235)

With the lowest winning percentage of any modern team, all-time winningest manager Connie Mack’s squad hit just 19 homers all year.

T-6.

Record: 47-115Ěý(.290)

The O’s tore down their roster at the trade deadline to launch a rebuild and finished 61 games out of first place in the AL East.

T-6.Ěý

Record: 38-115Ěý(.248)

Babe Ruth played 28 games for the Braves in his final season, batting just .181; Boston had 14-game and 15-game losing streaks.

8.

Record: 47-114 (.292)

The Tigers were an awful offensive club, racking up 1,595 strikeouts with just 149 homers; team was plagued by injuries after a 7-3 start.

9.

Record: 38-113-6 (.252)

Led by two player/managers, first catcher Malachi Kittridge and then outfielder Patsy Donovan, the Senators were shut out 27 times.

T-10.

Record: 50-112 (.309)

In the A’s worst season since moving to Oakland in 1968, the team had the lowest batting average (.223) and fewest runs (585) in MLB.

T-10.

Record: 50-112-2 (.309)

Slightly better than the ’62 team, the Mets lost 43 games after leading, were shut out 22 times, and had a .259 road win percentage.

T-10.

Record:Ěý42-112-1Ěý(.273)

The Pirates were a career low for Hall of Fame executive Branch Rickey. They started and finished poorly; lost 35 games by five-plus runs.

Top 10 most embarrassing losses of the Rockies’ worst season ever

The Rockies set the modern record for worst run differential. Here’s a look at their 10 most embarrassing losses of 2025.

Padres 21, Rockies 0

Date: May 10 at Coors Field

The carnage: In the season’s worst loss, San Diego blasted Colorado starter Bradley Blalock for 12 runs in three-plus innings, including a five-run opening frame. Colorado mustered five hits to the Padres’ 24, and San Diego hit five homers as the Rockies became the sixth team in the modern era to lose by 21 or more runs in a shutout. The next day, the Rockies fired manager Bud Black.

They said it: “You never want to be in that position as a team, unless you’re winning,” catcher Jacob Stallings said.

Date: July 26 at Camden Yards

The carnage: In Baltimore’s largest shutout win in franchise history, the Rockies were already down 8-0 when the Orioles reeled off nine runs in the seventh. Colorado only had two hits while Baltimore had 18. Zach Agnos and Nick Anderson were both shelled in the seventh as Baltimore batted around in the frame, and then some. The Rockies got just one runner into scoring position.

They said it: “It¶¶Ňőap kind of one of those nights. I feel like everybody for the most part put good swings on the ball,” interim Baltimore manager Tony Mansolino said.

Blue Jays 20, Rockies 1

Date:ĚýAug. 6 at Coors Field

The carnage:ĚýIn a showdown between Colorado products Kevin Gausman (Grandview) and Kyle Freeland (Thomas Jefferson), the Rockies went up 1-0 in the first on Ezequiel Tovar’s RBI double. It was all Blue Jays from there as they racked up 24 hits and posted eight runs in the ninth. It capped a one-sided sweep in which Toronto set a modern MLB record with 63 hits in a three-game series.

They said it:Ěý“Pretty absurd,” Gausman said of Toronto’s hit total in the series.

Blue Jays 15, Rockies 1

Date:ĚýAug. 4 at Coors Field

The carnage:ĚýIn the opener of that historically lopsided series, Bo Bichette summoned his Blake Street Bombers bloodline with two homers and six RBIs. It was 9-0 by the time the Rockies got their run in the fifth, and eight of Toronto’s nine starters had multiple hits. Colorado starter Tanner Gordon was pummeled for seven runs through two plus innings; the bullpen didn’t fare much better.

They said it:Ěý“I just tried to make quality pitches, but they put the ball in play,” Gordon said. “… I’m sure that the bullpen doesn’t like me right now.”

Brewers 17, Rockies 2

Date:ĚýApril 9 at Coors Field

The carnage:ĚýIn a defeat that was an omen for the rest of the season, the Rockies didn’t stand a chance against Milwaukee. The Brewers rocked Antonio Senzatela early, then Seth Halvorsen late, and Colorado made four errors, including errors by Gold Glovers Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle in the same game for the first time.

They said it: “They hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Senzatela said. “Huge mistakes by me. I have to keep the ball down.”

Braves 12, Rockies 4

Date:ĚýJune 13 at Truist Park

The carnage:ĚýThe Rockies had a 4-1 lead entering the sixth inning, but the bullpen unraveled. Jake Bird and Victor Vodnik were both pegged for three runs apiece; Ryan Rolison allowed five runs. Colorado made four errors, tying a season high. The team was 4 for 14 with RISP as part of a season-long trend. The next day, the Rockies set a season-high with 19 strikeouts.

They said it:Ěý“We’ve got to get the job done — execution-wise — when runners are aboard,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said.

Yankees 13, Rockies 1

Date: May 24 at Coors Field

The carnage:ĚýThe game was tied 1-1, then the wheels fell off. In a 10-run fifth inning — the most runs allowed in a frame by the Rockies all year — the Yankees blew it open in front of a heavy pro-New York crowd. A Kyle Freeland throwing error jump-started the big inning, which also featured a weird play where second baseman Adael Amador’s glove flew off in the direction of a line drive.

They said it:Ěý“Life is like baseball. You can have a really good game and then follow it up with a really bad one,” Amador said. “It¶¶Ňőap a normal feeling, but not a great one.”

Tigers 11, Rockies 1

Date:ĚýMay 8 at Coors Field

The carnage:ĚýAfter Detroit rolled to a 10-2 win in the first game of a doubleheader, the Tigers stomped Colorado in the second game, too. The minus-18 run differential tied a franchise record for the largest negative run differential in a doubleheader sweep in franchise history. Colorado didn’t have an extra-base hit in Game 2, made two errors and reliever Tyler Kinley got lit up.

They said it:Ěý“We’re playing a bad brand of baseball, all the way around,” Kyle Freeland said after Game 1 of the doubleheader. “Pitching, fielding, hitting. It¶¶Ňőap bad.”

Mets 13, Rockies 5

Date:ĚýJune 8 at Coors Field

The carnage:ĚýThe Mets put on a home run clinic in LoDo, mashing six homers, including a pair off prized rookie right-hander Chase Dollander. It was a performance that underscored Dollander’s inconsistent season — especially at Coors. The six long balls given up were tied for the second-most at home in franchise history.

They said it:Ěý“To be honest with you, I’m not really doing my job right now,” Dollander said.

Dodgers 9, Rockies 0

Date:ĚýSept. 10 at Dodger Stadium

The carnage: The Rockies managed just eight hits over the three-game series in L.A., including nearly getting no-hit in the opener. The Dodgers won the season series 11-2, and in the Sept. 10 thumping, Colorado notched only two hits and struck out 17 times as Blake Snell dominated.

They said it:Ěý“The changeup got us from Snell,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Spin got us last night, and spin got us the night before that. So, overall, it was a tough series for us.”

5 weird moments from Rockies’ bizarre lost season

The Rockies’ 2025 season wasn’t just about the mounting number of losses; it was about weird moments, games, innings, and trends. Here are five of them:

Slip of the glove

Date: May 24

Synopsis: The Yankees bludgeoned the Rockies, 13-1, on a Saturday afternoon at Coors Field. In the Yanks’ 10-run fifth inning, Rockies second baseman Adael Amador threw his glove at Paul Goldschmidt’s line-drive, run-scoring single to right field. Amador’s glove didn’t come close to hitting the ball, but if it had, Goldschmidt would have been awarded three bases.

They said it: “I didn’t have the glove tight on my hand. When I jumped up, the glove slipped off.” — Adael Amador

Purple pain

Date: June 25

Synopsis: Rookie right-hander Chase Dollander blanked the Dodgers for five innings at Coors, but in the top of the sixth, lightning crashed and the sky opened up. With two on and two out, Max Muncy hit a sky-high pop-up to the right side of the infield, where Colorado second baseman Thairo Estrada was ready to make the play. But Estrada lost the ball amid the rain and lights and covered his head. First baseman Michael Toglia covered his head, too, and was startled when the ball landed a few feet from him. Dalton Rushin and Shohei Ohtani scored easily, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. After a lengthy rain delay, the Dodgers cruised to an 8-1 victory.

They said it: “You can’t control Mother Nature, you can’t control a bunch of things.” — Chase Dollander

Wild night in LoDo

Date: Aug. 1

Synopsis: The Pirates scored nine runs in their first at-bat and led 16-10 after six innings, but the Rockies roared back with five runs in the ninth, winning the 3-hour, 37-minute score-a-thon on Brenton Doyle’s two-run homer. Colorado’s 17-16 victory at Coors marked just the 13th time in baseball’s modern era (since 1901) that a team allowed 16 runs and won. The Rockies also did it on July 4, 2008, beating the Marlins 18-17 at Coors.

They said it: “That¶¶Ňőap got to be the most incredible game I’ve ever been involved in, hands down, with all the stuff that went into it.” — Manager Warren Schaeffer

Catcher in the raw

Date: Aug. 6

Synopsis: With the Blue Jays leading 12-1 entering the ninth, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer waved the white flag, sending catcher Austin Nola to the mound. Four consecutive doubles, two homers and eight runs later, the Blue Jays had a 20-1 lead. The Blue Jays swept the three-game series, outscoring the Rockies 45-6 and hitting 13 homers. Colorado pitchers gave up 63 hits — the most ever compiled in baseball history over a three-game series. Austin Nola, whose brother is Philadelphia pitcher Aaron Nola, played the role of the good soldier.

They said it: “I’m sure I’m gonna get a text from Aaron. I’ll just blame it on (the hitter-friendly altitude of) Colorado or something.” — Austin Nola

Subject to ejection

Date: Sept. 2

Synopsis: Two batters and eight pitches into the game, Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland served up a towering, two-run homer to the Giants’ Rafael Devers. After Devers dramatically flipped his bat and began a slow-motion trot, Freeland screamed some choice words, telling Devers to quit showboating. What started as a war of words quickly evolved into a bench-clearing fracas. Freeland was ejected, San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman was suspended one game for shoving Freeland, and the Giants’ Willy Adames and Devers were fined. The Giants won, 7-4, handing the Rockies their 100th loss of the season.

They said it: “Extremely disrespectful to show me up like that in the first inning after hitting a home run. Standing there, watching it, taking your sweet time getting down to first base.” — Kyle Freeland.

Halvorsen, the 25-year-old, hard-throwing right-hander, was placed on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain. He underwent an MRI on Sunday, but the Rockies were seeking multiple opinions and did not have anything to report after the Rockies’ 9-5 loss to Pittsburgh.

Halvorsen, 1-2 with a 4.99 ERA and 11 saves over 41 appearances, was abruptly pulled in the ninth inning of Colorado’s 8-5 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

“We will know more after the MRI; I hate to speculate,” manager Warren Schaeffer said Sunday morning before the Rockies played the Pirates in the series finale.

The Rockies optioned Toglia to Triple-A Albuquerque for the second time this season. The emergence of hot-hitting Warming Bernabel left Toglia in limbo — and on the bench. The club believes that Toglia needs consistent at-bats if he’s going to escape a season-long slump characterized by a .194 batting average and a 38.3% strikeout rate.

In a corresponding move, the club recalled catcher Braxton Fulford from Triple-A, which gives the Rockies three catchers on the current 26-man roster. Fulford joins starter Hunter Goodman and veteran backup Austin Nola.

“Basically, the most important thing with that roster decision is to get Michael Toglia playing every day,” Schaeffer said. “So he’s going to go down to (Albuquerque) and play and work on what he needs to work on, to be better, so he can come back to help us. … Michael doesn’t need to be here and sit the bench. No good comes from that.”

Regarding having three catchers on the roster, Schaeffer said: “It’s good to have Braxton here. He’s a young player and it’s a good time to get him experience, moving into next year. So we will see how that catching scenario works out, obviously.

” ‘Goody’ is going to catch the majority of the games, but we have to discuss, as a staff, the catching situation.”

Toglia, who turns 27 on Aug. 16, remains an enigma. The 2019 first-round draft choice out of UCLA appeared to turn the corner last season. After his final recall from Triple-A on June 6, he slashed .232/.331/.470 in 100 games and hit 21 home runs, tying for 10th in the National League over that span. He started 90 consecutive games at first base through the end of the season.

But he’s regressed in 2025. Schaeffer said getting Toglia right will take both physical and mental adjustments.

“At some point, you just have to go and play better,” Schaeffer said. “That’s where Michael is. The mental resets — that’s happened this year, for sure — but he needs to go down there and work on what he needs to work on. He needs to flatten his bat path out. He needs to handle the top third of the zone where he’s swinging and missing a lot. He knows all of these things.”

Bullpen structure. Losing Halvorsen, no matter for how long, is a blow to an already thin bullpen. To shore up the ‘pen, the Rockies recalled veteran right-hander Nick Anderson from Triple-A.

Anderson, 35, got shelled in his one game with Colorado this season. In an 18-0 loss at Baltimore on July 26, he gave up five runs on six hits in one inning.

Before last week’s trade deadline, the Rockies dealt away veteran right-handed relievers Jake Bird (to the Yankees) and Tyler Kinley (Braves), leaving the bullpen inexperienced. Plus, rookie right-hander Zach Agnos went on the 15-day IL on July 27 with a right flexor strain.

Schaeffer said that right-handers Victor Vodnik and Juan Mejia will man the back end of the bullpen, with veteran Jimmy Herget also pitching late in games more frequently.

Left-hander Carson Palmquist will primarily be used as a long reliever, though he could see time later in games against left-handed hitters.

Crim claimed. The Rockies claimed first baseman Blaine Crim off waivers from the Rangers Sunday and optioned him to Triple-A. Crim, 28, made his big league debut with Texas earlier this year but he played in just five games, going 0 for 11 with a walk and six strikeouts. Crim was a 19th-round pick by Texas in 2019 out of Mississippi College.

Poor defense and a failure to deliver key hits, two characteristics that have plagued the club throughout its historically bad first half, again cost Colorado on Sunday in a 4-2 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds, hanging on to playoff hopes, improved to 50-47. More significantly, manager Terry Francona got his 2,000th career win, becoming just the 13th manager to reach the 2,000-win milestone.

The Rockies go on vacation carrying the baggage of a 22-74 record. Colorado’s 74 losses before the All-Star break are the most since 1933, the year of the first All-Star Game. Colorado surpassed the 2024 White Sox, who were 27-71 at the break.

The Rockies’ killer mistake came in the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Noelvi Marte hit a routine chopper to rookie shortstop Ryan Ritter, but Ritter fumbled the ball and TJ Friedl scored from third, giving the Reds a 3-2 lead.

“You never like errors, but they are going to happen sometimes,” manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters in Cincinnati. ” ‘Ritt’ has been a really good shortstop for us since he’s been up. He just made an error in a really big spot today. I want that ball hit to him every time.”

Cincinnati tacked on a bonus run in the seventh on Spencer Steer’s RBI single off reliever Zach Agnos. All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz led off the inning with a double and advanced to third when Rockies second baseman Kyle Farmer committed another error. The Rockies’ 82 errors are the most in the majors, and their .977 fielding percentage is the worst.

The Rockies had seven hits but were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men stranded. In their 4-3 walk-off loss to Cincy on Saturday night, the Rockies were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

“We didn’t deliver the blow that we needed … no big hit today,” Schaeffer said, echoing a refrain that his predecessor, Bud Black, used repeatedly over the last several seasons. “Most of the year, that’s been an area that needs to be improved. We are going to see that through in the second half. That’s going to be a big focus area.”

On Sunday, Colorado’s two runs came in the third against Reds right-hander Nick Martinez. Farmer and Austin Nola opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Mickey Moniak came through with a two-out, two-run single. But Colorado’s offense sputtered from there.

Colorado lefty starter Austin Gomber did his job, though he needed 90 pitches to get through 4 1/3 innings.

“I thought Gomber gave us enough to keep us in the game to win,” Schaeffer said.

Friedl led off the Reds’ first inning with a homer to right on Gomber’s belt-high, 2-1 fastball. But Gomber settled in and finished with a decent line: three runs (two earned) on six hits, with two walks and three strikeouts.

Gomber (0-3, 5.65 ERA) deserved a better fate in the third inning. He gave up a one-out walk to Friedl and made a good pitch to Matt McClain, who hit a shallow fly to left, but rookie Yanquiel Fernandez made a poor break on the ball and McClain got a cheap single. Gomber got the dangerous De La Cruz to ground into a fielder’s choice, but Austin Hayes drove an RBI single up the middle to score Friedl, tying the game 2-2.

The Rockies, on pace to set a modern era record with 125 losses, are off until Friday when they host the Twins at Coors Field.