Staff Picks: We’re split on the Rockies losing 100 games this year

The Rockies look season begins on Friday, we asked our Denver Sports staff a few basic questions and for predictions as summer begins

BY JAKE SHAPIRO

Mar 27, 2026, 3:13 AM

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The Colorado Rockies look to avoid a fourth-straight 100-loss season when the season begins on Friday. Struggling for a star player and seemingly lost as a franchise, the Rockies start their 34th season — perhaps their least-anticipated — in Miami.

The Rockies do have some young players to be excited about. Still, most prognosticators believe the Rockies are doomed, and their NL West foe Dodgers are going to repeat as champs. What does our group think?

We asked our Denver Sports staff a few basic questions and for predictions as summer officially begins in LoDo. Among those with responses are Josh Dover, Andrew Mason, James Merilatt, Will Petersen, Aniello Piro, Jake Shapiro and John Simmer.

Rockies record prediction and finish

Dover: 63-99

Mason: 64-98, fifth in the NL West

Merilatt: 63-99, fifth in the NL West

Petersen: 61-101, fifth in the NL West

Piro: 63-99, fifth in the NL West

Shapiro: 45-117, fifth in the NL West

Simmer: 50-112, fifth in the NL West

Average: 58-104

Do you anticipate significant changes during the first year of the DePodesta and Schaeffer era?

Dover: I will leave the significance up to you as the reader, but I do believe but I do believe this team will show us there is light at the end of the tunnel. It might not come for a half decade, but I think we will see some of that light this season.

Mason: It depends how you define “significant.” If you quantify it by immediately escaping the cellar, no. But if it’s by progress from young players such as Charlie Condon when he settles in at first base, or from Michael Lorenzen and José Quintana being able to stabilize the rotation to give the team a fighting chance that didn’t exist last year when one starter after another got teed up, then, yes. This team shouldn’t bear the historically abject look last year’s side carried. That said, the Rockies could improve by 19 games and still lose 100. In most instances, a 19-game upswing would be considered “significant.” So, again, it depends on your definition.

Merilatt: Yes. I think we’ll see some young players who will create some hope and enthusiasm, especially after May 1. I also think the Rockies will be a much better team fundamentally. They’ll take care of the basics, which sounds like a given, but it’s something a young team needs to master.

Petersen: Not really, because these guys are just getting started with rebuilding the team. Will there be subtle differences? Sure. But nothing that will excite fans to tune in beyond May except maybe an intriguing MLB debut.

Piro: I don’t think there will be many significant changes to the Rockies this season; however, I do think this season is about restoring, or even establishing, a foundation for the organization for the first time in about five years or so. I think another season for Schaeffer will be interesting, as this is his first full campaign at the helm. He should have a better feel for what his team is made of. The on-field product will likely not be great, but I view this season as essential growing pains for a team that has been on a road to nowhere for a while now.

Shapiro: Yes. You’re seeing some with the way Condon and Chase Dollander have been handled to start the year. Will it lead to better baseball? No, at least not in 2026. The Rockies didn’t do much to improve their team in 2026. The pitching has a more guys who could eat some innings but they may just end up with three of them having five of the worst ERAs in baseball like last year. The lineup is possibly the worst in Rockies history. Any hopes of a real improvement will come in the second half when some of the younger players get settled.

Simmer: Yes. The party deck will include some of the best and cheapest drink specials you can find in downtown, further cementing Coors Field as the best bar in Denver.

Will a standout player emerge this season? If so, who?

Dover: I will have my eye on a player who standouts out to me, but if will he stand out as a pitcher is TBD. Michael Lorenzen, who you may remember from Team Italy in the recent WBC, he pitched well but was the only pitcher on Team Italy to suffer a loss. He has an awesome story and used to skate, as a former sometimes still old skateboarder, he is my new favorite Rockie!

Mason: Hunter Goodman has already emerged, so I’ll go with Condon. Once he settles in, he’ll show that the major-league level isn’t too big for him. The Rockies’ lineup will still have some holes, but the middle of the order will have pop and be worthy of attention.

Merilatt: Yes, Charlie Condon. He’ll eventually end up with the big-league club. And he’ll shine. Remember when Nolan Arenado started the season in Triple-A, came up and looked like a star immediately? This will have a similar feel.

Petersen: Standout? Meh. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse of Charlie Condon and he can hit enough dingers to fire people up. But as we’ve seen, the Rockies have a bunch of guys already at the MLB level we want to get excited about but haven’t reached an All-Star or consistent level every season.

Piro: Charlie Condon. While he did not make the team out of spring training, I have a feeling we will see Condon up with the major-league level and finish the season in the big leagues. Condon is one of the Rockies top prospects, and if he mashes in the minors he should have a role with the team at the big league level. He has as much, if not more, upside as anyone in the organization.

Shapiro: Yes. Ezequiel Tovar is really good and him playing in some big-time games at the World Baseball Classic is going to help turn him into one of the better shortstops in baseball. This is the year he goes from really good to following in the footsteps of the great shortstops before him in Tulo and Story.

Simmer: No. Rockies will once again have the worst pitching rotation in baseball.

When do the Rockies make the postseason again?

Dover: 2030

There is some young potential in the Rockies system, but few of them are pitchers, so until they solve that issue or become willing to overpay for a proven piece on the mound, the playoffs are out of sight, for now.

Mason: 2028

I don’t know if Ethan Holliday will be a part of the solution at that point — it depends how much progress he makes this summer — but there should be enough growth from the rest of the club that by then, wild card No. 3 should be a plausible goal.

Merilatt: 2028

Their young players need to develop. They need to clear the books of bad contracts, so they can add a few complementary pieces. It’ll take a little time, but it’s on the horizon.

Petersen: 2030

I’m willing to give the new regime five years. What they inherited was that bad. But this is a long and slow journey that won’t get better overnight. Far from it.

Piro: 2028

It’s going to take some time for the organization to come together under the vision of Paul DePodesta. That said, they do have some up-and-coming players that could develop into a solid core for the Rockies in Ezequiel Tovar, Charlie Condon, Zach Veen and Ethan Holliday among others. Pitching is another story, but the Rockies have had a positive track record of developing position players. I think DePodesta will get creative to try and figure out the pitching dynamic. Let’s see how this veteran-laden rotation plays out in 2026 as that could provide some clarity to strategy moving forward. Getting Chase Dollander right is also essential for the future of this team.

Shapiro: 2030

The Rockies finally bottomed out last year and it will start to get better this year, but not by much. Their farm system still lacks pitching. It’s still going to get worse there before things improve. There are some good bats we’re already seeing in Denver and it’s going to take a bit to get another round of pitchers in top shape at Coors Field. That was the recipe in 2017 and 2018 when the team last went to the postseason. I believe the drought will be over a decade long, with the team going back to the playoffs in 2030 — plus it’ll help that Kris Bryant’s $27 million will finally be off the books that year.

Simmer: 2040

Luck.

Average: 2030.6