This week, the Rockies passed another bad milestone and appear to be well on their way to another franchise-worst mark.
In 2023, the season where the Rockies set the franchise record for 103 losses, they were shut out nine times.
When the Reds shut out Colorado 6-0 on July 8, it marked the 10th goose egg of the 2024 season. With 10 shutouts in their first 94 games of the season, the Rockies are averaging being blanked 10.6% of their games. At that rate, the Rockies will be shut out 17 times by the end of 2024, which would be the most in team history. The current record is 16 times, which was set in 2021. The 10-shutout mark is also tied for second-worst in Major League Baseball with the Marlins, second only to 12 by the White Sox.
While pitching, especially securing games out of the bullpen, remains a huge deficit for the Rockies, it’s overshadowing the incredibly problematic lack of production by Colorado’s offense. Having 10 shutouts before the All-Star Break is bad, but things are even worse upon closer inspection.
The Rockies – a team that plays half their games at altitude with the biggest outfield in Major League Baseball — have only scored one run 13 times this season, two runs 10 times, and three runs 14 times. That means the Rockies have scored three or fewer runs this season 47 times — or 50% of their games. Even though they are averaging 4.14 runs per game, which ties them for No. 22 in MLB, the number is being lifted by a handful of double-digit performances (most notably 16 runs against the Pirates on June 15).
Colorado’s historic and persistent inability to hit on the road isn’t solely responsible either as 22 of the 47 games (46.8%) where the Rockies have scored three runs or fewer have been at Coors Field. Even three of the 10 shutouts have happened at 20th and Blake.
Things haven’t always been like this for the Rockies. In 20 of their 32 seasons, the Rockies were shut out less than 10 times. They were held to zero runs only twice in 2001 for the franchise’s lowest mark and only three times in 1999.
The factors contributing to Colorado’s dismal ability to score runs require much more time and space than we have here. From too many strikeouts per game (No. 27 in MLB at 9.43) and too few walks per game (tied for No. 25 with 2.33) to grounding into too many double plays (No. 28 at 0.86 per game) and not enough homers (No. 21 at 0.98 per game), the Rockies have the worst run differential in MLB at negative 167.
Even if Kyle Freeland remains hot, Cal Quantrill remains a Rockie, Germán Márquez returns to his former self after returning from Tommy John surgery, Ryan Feltner and Austin Gomber, or top prospects, can deliver manageable consistency, and new talent can stabilize the bullpen into 2025 and beyond, it won’t matter if the Rockies score less than four runs in half their games and get shut out 10.6% of the time.
No one expected the Rockies to compete for the playoffs this season and the pitching certainly isn’t helping. Between starters and relievers, the Rockies have blown 23 leads this season, including seven by the bullpen in the ninth inning alone. It’s not the biggest surprise that the 33-61 Rockies are on pace to lose 105 games.
A Brenton Doyle turnaround and All-Star selection for Ryan McMahon isn’t enough. Ezequiel Tovar’s continued improvement, current slump aside, isn’t enough. Hitting 92 homers (No. 23 in MLB) isn’t enough. The Rockies need a dominant presence in the National League offensive leaderboards from multiple players — like it was when Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon were in their prime, or when Matt Holliday fueled Rocktober, or when the Blake Street Bombers intimidated and punished opposing pitchers.
Until the Rockies become a force at the plate, quality starts will continue to go wasted and the bullpen won’t have much to save.
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Toglia ‘making strides’ in pursuit of everyday first-base job | MLB.com
Thomas Harding breaks down Michael Toglia’s knack for hitting homers, boosted by the confidence of regular playing time, and how it’s giving him promising chances as the Rockies next first baseman.
Brenton Doyle’s Improved Offensive Approach After Mixed Rookie Season | Just Baseball
Purple Row’s own Renee Dechert breaks down the details of Brenton Doyle’s explosion at the plate this season, hopefully making the case that the rest of the MLB world should take note of the Rockies center fielder.
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On the farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 4, Tacoma Rainiers 3
Hunter Stovall hit a walk-off, two-run double to score Connor Kaiser and Julio Carreras for a thrilling win on Thursday. Riley Pint got his first win of the season with a scoreless 1 1⁄3 innings with three strikeouts. Drew Romo hit a two-run homer and Jimmy Herron added two hits.
Double-A: Portland Sea Dogs 10, Hartford Yard Goats 1
The Yard Goats went up 1-0 when Zac Veen reached on a walk, stole second, got to third on an error and then scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Warming Bernabel. Then, this one got out of hand. Mason Albright got hit hard, giving up five runs on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts in four innings. Portland put up two five spots in the fourth and sixth.
High-A: Spokane Indians 6, Everett Aqua Sox 5
Juan Guerrero hit a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning to score Kyle Karros and Jake Snider, overcoming a 5-4 deficit for the eventual game-winner. Karros also hit his ninth homer of the year, Cole Carrigg smashed his eighth and Snider connected for his fifth. Felix Ramires earned the win after pitching two outs in the eighth and left two runners on base to get the win. Davison Palermo threw a scoreless ninth for the save.
Low-A: Lake Elsinore Storm 10, Fresno Grizzlies 5
Jason Hinchman and Ben McCabe both hit RBI singles in the ninth inning, but Fresno’s late rally came up short. Andy Perez doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in another, while Luis Mendez went 4-for-5 with one run and one RBI. Five Fresno pitchers combined to give up 14 hits and 10 earned runs, walk four and strikeout five.
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