Kyle Karros Outtakes (with a Justin Turner Cameo)

Two weeks ago, Kevin Henry, Manny Randhawa. and I spoke with Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros. The article that I wrote from that interview focused on his defense, but there were a few other things he said that are worth sharing, even if they don’t make for a full article.

Despite being just 23 and an MLB newcomer, Karros is clearly familiar with the game of a professional baseball player from watching his father,noted Rockies killer Eric Karros.

Below are a few outtakes that have been lightly edited for clarity.

Renee Dechert: What has it been like now that you’ve been with the Rockies for just over a week?

Kyle Karros: It's been unreal. This group's taken me in really well. I've been getting along with the coaches and the players here far greater than I expected, so that's made the transition a bit easier.

It's a new way of life. I mean, the traveling schedule is probably the biggest difference. In the minor leagues, you get a day off every single week — Mondays off. So I knew the first couple road trips, we'd be flying back. And every part of me thought, ‘Okay, we have an off day tomorrow.’ But no, it's right into the next series here. So that part's been the biggest difference for me.

But I'm getting used to it all. I'm settling in, and I've been really liking this new job.

RD: What’s it like at hour house? Your dad is a Rockies killer. Your brother is a pitcher in the Dodgers’ system. And you’re a Colorado Rockie. Do you give each other a hard time, or how does that work?

Kyle Karros: I think my whole family knew that my first home run was going to be against the Dodgers. But, yeah, I'd love to get that reputation as my career goes on, give the Dodgers some payback for what my dad was doing to the Rockies organization when he played.

But it's a cool dynamic, I think, more so than what team everyone is associated with, it's just cool that we're all in the same walk of life, and we can lean on each other for things. Baseball’s a very unique job, it's a very unique way of life. So to be able to share that and draw on them for wisdom and experience, it goes a long way. There's a lot of banter, a lot of craft talk, but like I said, it's more, it's more helping one another.

RD: But you tease each other, right?

Kyle Karros: There’s a lot of banter, a lot of crap talk. But like I said: It’s more helping one and other.

Manny Randhawa: Have you leaned more on your dad over the last few weeks as you’ve been in the big leagues?

Kyle Karros: Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, it's honestly an isolating way of life. It's tough.

Not a lot of people understand what we go through, and it's tough to have those conversations with friends and family that don't get it. It's a unique, unique way of life.

So to have [Eric] around is great, and he's always there to offer me some piece of advice. And the biggest thing he's brought to me so far is just what the altitude does to your body, really, in terms of recovery. I know he got beat up whenever there was a series here in Denver — he was barking for a few days after that, especially near the end of his career. So him kind of being in my ear, helping me be proactive about it.

I mean, I'm young right now. I don't get affected as much as he did near the end of his career, but just the preparation that goes into it, it’s different playing here in altitude.

As it turns out, the Chicago Cubs and Justin Turner were also in Denver that weekend. Since Karros revealed at Rockies Fest that Turner is is favorite athlete, in large part because of their interactions when Karros was a child in the Dodgers’ dugout, he seemed like a good person to ask about Karros’ development.

As it turns out, Turner stays in close contact with Eric and texted him when learning about Kyle’s promotion.

“Looks like he’s got a bright future here,” Turner said.

RD: What was it like to watch Kyle grow up in the dodgers clubhouse and what’s it like to have him on the other side of the field today?

Justin Turner: It's just really cool to meet a kid from a young age and then kind of track along and follow along their journey and see him make it and live out his dream.

RD: What do you see?

Justin Turner: He's a big guy for one, just athletic and loose and got good actions, and he moves good in the box. He’s got a free and easy swing. It's not jerky-jerky, trying to manhandle the ball around, which I think plays up and gives him some room for error and some efficiency.

So, he he does a lot of things really well from the little I've seen him over the last few weeks. So, hopefully, he has a long and lengthy career and puts up bigger numbers than his dad did.

RD: Is it weird, having Eric’s son, given Eric‘s success against the Rockies, on the Rockies roster, or is that just baseball?

Justin Turner: It's just baseball.

You know, obviously Karos goes to the Dodgers, and his son signs here, and then you got, you know, Dino Ebel is a third base coach for the Dodgers. His son signs with the Brewers. George Lombard is a bench coach with the Tigers. His son’s with the Yankees.

As a dad, I'm not anywhere near that point yet, but I think it doesn't matter what you did in your career: If your son gets drafted into an organization and makes it to the major leagues, you automatically become the biggest fan, obviously, of your your son and of that organization.

So what will be interesting is when, when Karros has a Saturday night game on Fox, and the Rockies are playing, to hear him call a game and be unbiased, that'll be interesting.

I hope he gets the chance to do it. I think that would be really cool for EK.

What I’m Reading

• The Chatter’s Box: Mickey Moniak Talks to the Rockies Insider | Just Baseball — Patrick Lyons asks the Rockies outfielder about becoming a Rockies, providing leadership to a young team, and Game 163 against the Padres.
• Goodman continues breakout season by becoming first Rockies catcher to hit 30 HRs | MLB.com — Not everything has been terrible for the Rockies this season. Hunter Goodman has been a bit of a revelation.
• The baseball team getting outscored like no one else in history | Wall Street Journal — It took an historic run differential, but the Colorado Rockies have made the big time.

Closing thoughts

And that’s it for another week as the Rockies’ 2025 season very quickly winds down.

Their disappointing West Coast roadtrip continues. I’m not sure anyone thought they would do much winning, but there were probably expectations that they would at least score a few more runs. We’ll see how the series in San Diego goes before the Rockies return to Coors Field for their final home stand of the season.

FWIW, the record for most losses in the Modern Era is still on the table.

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.