DENVER (AP) — Speedy Colorado rookie Cole Carrigg hustled out a recent double, losing his batting helmet and leg guard along the way. He slid into second with such force that he ripped his pants, before hopping up and performing a little shimmy shake toward the dugout.
That's the new grit, the new attitude, of a team still in last place but finding a path upward under the watchful gaze of a new front office. This isn't the same floundering Rockies from a year ago that flirted with baseball’s all-time worst record.
At 32-49, the Rockies are already a plus-14 wins from where they were a year ago at the halfway mark. They've turned the page on last season, too — on the last three seasons in which they've dropped 323 games (2023-25). That's tied with the 1940-42 Philadelphia Phillies for the fifth-most losses by a squad over a three-year span in the modern era.
Players like Carrigg and TJ Rumfield are helping bring a youthful vibe to the field.
Outfielder Mickey Moniak said the mentality these days is winning instead of hoping not to lose.
“That’s just a big step in the right direction. I think it’s only up from here,” he said.
Last season, the Rockies didn’t win their 32nd game until Aug. 13. They were also 18-23 in one-run games. This season, they're 11-10 in games decided by a run.
“Even during games where we’re losing, I don’t think there’s a lot of panic,” said the 24-year-old Carrigg, who’s hitting .271 with three homers since being promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque on June 9. “Everybody trusts each other. We all know that we’re all great baseball players, and we’re here for a reason. We have a really special group of guys.”
This young nucleus, which includes All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, gives them promise down the road (they currently have around a 0.1% chance of making the playoff this season). The team hasn't been to the postseason since 2018.
“There’s been a high level of commitment to elevate the story,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.
A path forward
Rebuilds, though, take time.
That's why a front office led by Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes are being patient to make sure a consistent message permeates through all levels of the organization.
“We’ve still got a ways to go,” said Byrnes, who was brought in as general manager from the reigning World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers. “But I’m encouraged by the progress.”
An area the Rockies plan to upgrade is the pitching throughout the system. That could be addressed through the draft next month or before the trade deadline in early August.
“Pitching is always going to be a challenge here when it’s tested over six months, and it’s our daily ritual of who’s available, who’s not,” Byrnes said. “Candidly, and it's been done here before, to build a pitching staff that’s playoff-caliber and hopefully sustainable for several years — not just the players, but the methods behind it — is probably pretty high on the list for what we’re trying to do.”
The trade deadline
The Rockies do figure to be sellers at the trade deadline, especially given their surplus of outfielders. DePodesta is already starting to field some calls.
Anybody untouchables?
“There would be certain guys that would be really, really hard for us to move,” said DePodesta, the president of baseball operations. "That’s probably true for any team. There are guys that we feel are hopefully foundational players for us going forward.
“At the same time, I think we need to be opportunistic. We’re not where we want to be. So, if there are opportunities for us to get better, certainly both in the short-term and long-term, we need to look at that.”
One thing the Rockies are preaching on the minor-league level is position flexibility. Carrigg, for example, played outfield along with shortstop.
“It’s good for you. It’s good for us. Let's do it,” Byrnes said. “It’s going to require some work, but for the most part ... it’s going very well.
"The most important thing we can do is deliver a team (fans) can root for, a team that wins, a team that plays in October.”
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