Can the Colorado Rockies manage to avoid 100 losses?

It’s been a big year for the rebuilding Colorado Rockies.

Sure, they still have a 50-77 record, but they have already surpassed their 43-199 total of the historically awful 2025.

Moreover, they have improved when measured by a number of metrics. (Yesterday, my Purple Row colleague Cory Cohen offered another read on the Rockies improvements, which I found pretty interesting.)

When president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta last spoke with media, which was at the trade deadline, he said this:

We want to accomplish some things this year. We have not yet accomplished them. I think we're making progress toward those goals, but we’re not all the way there yet. So we still think those guys all contribute to hopefully reaching those goals before the end of the year.

Certainly, DePodesta is not going to share all of the goals he hopes the 2026 Rockies achieve, but surely one of them — a big one — is avoiding a fourth-consecutive 100-loss season.

Avoiding another 100-loss season would be good for the players and staff and provide a clear indication that the front office’s plan is working. In addition, an improved record would signal to fans that it is, truly, a new day at 20th and Blake — and with the Rockies preparing to sell season tickets, this would provide them with an easy selling point.

Third, in 2025, the Chicago White Sox, who were historically bad in 2024, improved by 19 games; this year, they are contending for a postseason berth. Surely, the Rockies are hoping they can show themselves to be on a similar trajectory.

But how feasible is it for the Rockies to meet this goal?

Let’s consider the possibilities, knowing that baseball is weird, and it’s impossible to predict the future.

With 35 games left, the Rockies are 50-77, which means they need to win 13 more games.

Going forward, they will play the following teams:

• Cleveland Guardians (62-66, 3 games @ Coors)
• Washington Nationals (61-67, 4 games @ DC)
• Atlanta Braves (75-53, 3 games @ ATL, NL East Leader)
• Baltimore Orioles (61-66, 3 games @ Coors)
• St. Louis Cardinals (66-63, 3 games @ Coors)
• New York Yankees (71-55, 3 games @ NYY, AL Wildcard)
• Detroit Tigers (61-66, 3 games @ DET)
• San Diego Padres (68-60, 4 games @ Coors, NL Wildcard)
• Seattle Mariners (60-68, 3 games @ Coors)
• Arizona Diamondbacks (67-61, 3 games @ Coors)
• Chicago White Sox (66-61, 3 games @ CHI, AL Central Leader)

A few additional caveats are in order.

First, the American League Central is a weak division this season, and the Rockies have three more series with AL Central teams.

Second, this season, the Rockies have had the following records with teams they’ve already played once:

• Atlanta – 0-3
• Nationals — 1-2
• Cardinals — 1-3
• D-backs — 4-5
• Padres — 1-7

Here are my (unscientific) predictions as to how these coming series will go:

• Guardians — 1 win
• Nationals — 1 win
• Braves — o wins
• Orioles — 2 wins
• Cardinals — 1 win
• Yankees —0 wins
• Tigers — 1 win
• Padres — 1 win
• Mariners — 2 wins
• Diamondbacks — 2 wins
• White Sox — 1 win

I come up with a total of 12 wins, which puts the Rockies at 62-100.

To be fair, FanGraphs, which is much better than I am at this kind of the, predicts the Rockies will finish the season at 64-98 (.394 Winning%). This is a much more promising total than I have come up with. To be specific, FanGraphs sees the Rockies going 14-21 (.408 Winning%) in their remaining games. So FanGraphs predicts the Rockies will player better in the final month than they have previously this season.

And I could see that happening.

I hope it does because I, for one, have had enough of 100-loss seasons. Finishing the season on a positive note, especially with the lockout looming, would be a much better way to head into what promises to be a long offseason.

That’s my prediction. Feel free to leave yours in the comments.

Closing thoughts

That’s it for this week.

The Rockies being swept (again) by the Los Angeles Dodgers remains a depressing reminder of how much work is ahead in “The Climb,” an apt metaphor if ever there was one. However, the Rockies did look progressively better as they played the Dodgers, which is encouraging (if cold comfort).

Today, they will begin a three-game series with the Guardians before heading on an East Coast road trip. (Let’s hear it for earlier start times!)

The season is winding down fast, but there’s still a lot of Rockies baseball to be played. I intend to enjoy every minute of it.

As always, thanks for reading —

Renee

Rockies Pitch is a newsletter that focuses on Colorado Rockies baseball.

Find me on Bluesky at @ReneeDechert.com or send an email to Renee@RockiesPitch.com