For the Colorado Rockies, 2026 is an all-time “playing with house money” kind of season. Nobody expects them to be good. So why not give it a try anyway?
On paper, the boys in purple don’t stack up well against the competition. Though, it depends on which paper you’re reading. Only 12 games into the season, it would be unwise to draw any conclusions, but it’s always best to start with the tangible facts.
And there is no fact more tangible than their six wins, including a series victory against the Toronto Blue Jays and a sweep of the Houston Astros. Both World Series hopefuls. They also grabbed a W against the Philadelphia Phillies who are set to be major factors in October.
In 2025, the Rockies didn’t win their first series until June. Their last sweep at home came in May of 2024. And their last sweep of the Astros at Coors Field came all the way back in 2012. So, they’re doing stuff.
Backing up a bit, each loss in Miami, a house of horrors for the entire existence of the Rockies, was by just one run. In game three, they did not trail until a last at-bat walk-off. They also responded to their only embarrassing loss of the season, unceremoniously in the home opener, with another one-run loss to the Phils. Then a win.
For those keeping track, the Rox are about four key hits away from being 10-2. They have played precisely one bad baseball game. Given a 119-loss season a year ago, fans will take a 6-6 start.
Of course, there has been a bit of luck. Always a factor in baseball. Their blowout win in Toronto saw the opposing starter Cody Ponce leave the game early with an injury. An eerily similar thing happened to Christian Javier in a 9-1 blowout of the Astros. A Troy Johnston grounder that ricocheted off second base also played a key role in a big inning on Monday.
But it ain’t all luck.
It starts where all good baseball must. On the mound. Outside of Michael Lorenzen’s Opening Day nightmare, the rotation has been solid-to-excellent. Stalwart Kyle Freeland sports a 2.30 ERA in his first three games. Tomoyuki Sugano has given up just two earned runs in two starts. Even Lorenzen bounced back nicely going 5.2 IP with one run surrendered on Wednesday. These guys managed to quiet the hottest offense in the sport.
The bullpen has been even better.
Coming into Wednesday, they had a 3.08 ERA (8th in MLB) a 1.13 WHIP (7th) 52 strikeouts (6th) and an eye-popping walk rate of just 5.2 percent. That’s the second best in MLB. Zach Agnos, who had the worst numbers of any Rox reliever when the game started, pitched 3.1 innings and gave up just one single, striking out a pair. So, the bullpen numbers will improve.
On offense, it’s been big innings and little things.
The best microcosm of the changes in the thin mountain air came again in the final game against Houston wherein they walked more than they struck out.
A season ago, it was almost a given that the Colorado club would strike out in double digits. Almost every game. They hit that mark in the first four games this year. The lineup also put up a whopper 17-whiff game that they somehow won anyway. But they also had a 3 K game on Monday. Baby steps.
Across the board, the at-bats, and the results, are better.
It’s no surprise that Ezequiel Tovar and Hunter Goodman are quality hitters. In some corners there were questions about Mickey Moniak and Tyler Freeman repeating successes from a year ago, but both are off to hot starts. That group, rarely fully healthy in 2025, has been joined by TJ Rumfield, Troy Johnston, and Willi Castro who’ve provided a big boost. Rumfield in particular has been one of the best hitters in baseball in the early going. He’s sitting on a 1.037 OPS so far.
The Rockies have also stayed true to their spring training promise to run more. They’ve already stolen 14 bases which is tied for third in MLB. Baserunners are going almost every chance they get, taking the extra bag, and constantly applying pressure.
But perhaps even more telling than what the Rockies are doing in 2026, is what they are not doing.
Start with the fact that they aren’t walking many batters. Colorado pitching has offered just 33 free passes on the year. Only the Diamondbacks, Rangers, and Giants have fewer. They’ve committed just three errors. Only the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds, and Guardians have fewer of those. Fundamentals.
Getting quality starts from your rotation? Check. Making good contact semi-regularly? Check. Running the bases well and limiting the mistakes on defense? Triple check.
It’s a long season. Almost all of it remains. But for the last three years, observers of Colorado Rockies baseball have been desperate for something resembling competency.
In 2026, they’ve been more than competent. The Rockies have been good.
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