Generally, a team needs to play nine complete innings to have a chance at winning a baseball game. They have to compete for 27 outs — executing hit and runs, stealing bases, hitting home runs, making routine plays, and performing on the mound. It’s not always going to work out if those things are happening, and not all of them are going to happen for nine innings, but every aspect is instrumental in learning how to win.
Learning to win is where the Colorado Rockies find themselves, as they hold sole possession of the worst record in baseball. The Rockies are much better off at this point in the season than they were a year ago, and there is evidence of growth in the organization, but the learning opportunities where they need to grow are understandably maddening.
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Case in point, the Rockies have seen leads slip through their fingers in otherwise winnable games, with the following examples as major blows:
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April 23: Blew an 8-5 lead going into the ninth and lost 10-8 to the Padres at Coors Field.
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May 25: Led the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 in the seventh before giving up four in the bottom half of the inning and going on to lose 5-3.
In total, the Rockies have 13 blown leads and have gone a modest 13-for-20 in save opportunities.
What is the root cause of these struggles, and how could it be remedied?
Bullpen woes
The first culprit is the bullpen.
The main goal of a bullpen, particularly the back-end, is to preserve leads and secure victory. The bullpen has generally been solid for the Rockies this season, particularly given that they have had to pick up quite a few innings for a struggling rotation. They may not always be handed a lead, but they do enough to keep the game within reach.
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Unfortunately, the late innings haven’t exactly been smooth sailing for the Rockies’ arm barn.
Entering Tuesday, the Rockies’ 5.60 ERA in the eighth inning or later ranks as the third-highest in all of baseball, just behind the Los Angeles Angels (6.52 ERA) and Cincinnati Reds (5.75 ERA). Additionally, the Rockies lead the league in opponent batting average (.285) and slugging (.467) while also ranking second in on-base percentage (.366).
The numbers may be a little skewed because of the late-inning performances of starting pitchers in reliever roles like Chase Dollander (18.00 ERA) and Tanner Gordon (14.14 ERA), but the root of the struggles can be found in the arms that manager Warren Schaeffer has trusted the most in those late-game leverage situations.
Before they were injured, Jimmy Herget and Victor Vodnik struggled in the late innings. Both featuring an ERA slightly above 7.00, each had been hit hard and struggled to prevent runs. Additionally, Jaden Hill has thrived in other high-leverage situations, but has a 7.11 ERA in late innings.
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Dialing in on Vodnik seems appropriate since he has mainly served as the Rockies’ unofficial closer.
Currently on the injured list with right ulnar nerve inflammation, Vodnik has allowed 15 runs on 20 hits in 16.2 innings in the eighth inning or later. A major issue for him, and Rockies relievers in general, has been command. A 13.9% walk rate for Vodnik isn’t exactly ideal for a closer-type, even if he sports a 19% strikeout rate, and 5.6% of plate appearances have been 3-0 counts, a career-high. Falling behind hitters has gotten Vodnik into trouble, like many other Rockies pitchers, which is even more detrimental when the game is on the line.
The best pitchers in the game, especially relievers/closers, can miss bats and limit traffic. The Padres’ Mason Miller is elite because he pounds the zone alongside his electric arsenal.
Generally, the Rockies have pitched fairly well in the middle innings, at least well enough, and have been elite in the seventh inning for some reason. Still, finding a reliable arm to carry games to the finish line is important, and that’s why Schaeffer is going to get creative and may be better served committing to the hot hand of Antonio Senzatela rather than chasing match-ups and closing by committee.
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Offensive woes
The bullpen has earned its fair share of the blame for these types of excruciating losses, but the offense also carries a bulk of the burden.
In the eighth inning or later, the Rockies are in the bottom half of the league in terms of runs scored, ranking 19th with 50. Despite an average that ranks 10th (.243), Colorado ranks near the bottom in OBP (.304) and SLG (.343). Late-game rallies haven’t exactly been the Rockies’ forte this season, especially when the wind has been taken out of their sails, and they only have three outs to work with.
But a lot of pressure could be taken off of the late-innings bullpen arms if the Rockies’ offense could continue to build on leads throughout the game to create a buffer. When the team is ahead, Colorado is slashing .244/.312/.412, which ranks about middle of the pack in the league. The numbers are fine, but they can be empty when opportunities are missed in clutch situations.
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In general, the Rockies have decent numbers with runners in scoring position, at least on paper. And yet, a critical eye watching the games instead of stat sheets can see that the team hasn’t excelled at capitalizing when the chance arrives. Bases-loaded situations with no outs in the middle inning result in one run. A promising inning after a crucial lead-off and a walk ends with a pop-up and a double-play ball. Rallies aren’t exactly happening to manufacture runs, especially late in the game.
The inconsistency of the offense, combined with a lack of overall power, has left the Rockies scratching their heads as to how to generate more offense. April was exciting because the Rockies were finding ways to rally, but May has been a slog as players have been in extended slumps, gotten hurt, and failed to execute when called upon.
Still, learning to win as an offense is stepping up and finding a way to adjust and score runs when nothing is working in your favor, and the Rockies are still figuring out that part as a unit.
What’s to be done?
If only it were as simple as snapping a finger, and everything would work out for Colorado to change their fortunes in the late innings. When it comes to pitching, relievers must reduce walks. Multiple walks in an inning is just asking for trouble, and it has come back to bite the Rockies more than once. Returning to the mantra of “attacking the zone” is paramount to help secure victories.
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As for the offense, it’s hard to pinpoint a tangible thing. Mainly, the lineup needs to figure out how to get more power and find the clutch gene. Settling for an early three-run lead in the first inning isn’t enough. The offense has to carry production throughout the game so that the pressure is mitigated in the latter innings.
Either way, the way the team is going to learn to win and avoid the continuous gut punches is to find the balance of a complete game. Starting strong and finishing strong is paramount to victory, and if they can figure out how to do that daily, the woes will be in the rear-view mirror.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 5, El Paso Chihuahuas 3
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Five runs in the bottom of the second were all the run support the Isotopes needed as they opened up the series at home with a victory. Charlie Condon hit his first home run at home to lead off the second inning, Nic Kent hit an RBI single, and Adael Amador later delivered a three-run double to cap off the inning. Amador ended up with three hits on the night, as did veteran catcher Andrew Knizner. Sean Sullivan bounced back nicely after a rough outing on the mound last time, as he went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Sammy Peralta dealt two scoreless innings and TJ Shook collected his seventh save of the year.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 4, Altoona Curve 3
Tied up at three in the bottom of the eighth, Aidan Longwell played the hero for Hartford with a high chopper in the infield that was misplayed by the second baseman, allowing Andy Perez to score the eventual winning run. The Yard Goats offense collected eight hits and was assisted by four errors from Altoona’s defense. Perez and Longwell each had a pair of singles to lead the way for Hartford, while Dyan Jorge had a double, the only extra-base hit. Eiberson Castellano allowed just two runs on five hits through six innings while striking out four and walking four.
High-A: Tri-City Dust Devils 3, Spokane Indians 2
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Jordy Vargas had a no-hitter through five innings for Spokane before giving up a leadoff single in the sixth. Things unraveled there as a one-out double scored the first run and a two-out single scored the second run. Though Vargas ended up going six innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts, Tri-City ended up taking the game 3-2. Hunter Mann followed Vargas and gave up a home run in the eighth that was the deciding factor. Spokane had responded in the seventh inning with two runs and threatened in the ninth but ultimately fell short. Max Belyeu had a pair of hits and an RBI, while Kelvin Hidalgo had two hits on the night.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 8, San Jose Giants 5
The Fresno Grizzlies offense keeps on roaring as they rode a pair of four-run innings for a come-from-behind victory over San Jose. The Grizzlies put up a four-spot in the fourth inning, followed by a four-spot in the eighth inning, totaling eight runs on 10 hits and going 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Cameron Nelson drove in three runs as part of a two-hit day, while Roldy Brito and Ashly Andujar collected a pair of hits each. Carlos Renzullo came up with the clutch pitch hit single in the eighth, driving in two to take the lead. Riley Kelly started on the mound and allowed five runs on eight hits through five innings. The bullpen, led by Manuel Olivares’ three scoreless innings, allowed just two hits the rest of the way.
Affected by Altitude Episode 212: Ouchfield | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
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This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the parade of injuries hitting the Rockies and the depth getting tested.
Rockies’ bad starting pitching, lack of power point to another 100-loss season | The Denver Post ($)
Patrick Saunders checks in on the Rockies with one-third of the season in the books. He points to the failures of the starting pitching and a severe lack of power.
The Rockies Best Player is a Surprise — And an Obvious Trade Candidate | Yahoo Sports
Antonio Senzatela’s 2026 has been amazing, so it makes sense that he could be a great trade piece for the Rockies. The Padres are already interested, reportedly.
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