NL West-leading Padres hand Rockies worst shutout loss in franchise history with 21-0 rout

One of the worst teams in baseball history had the worst night in franchise history Saturday. The Colorado Rockies got blown out by the San Diego Padres at Coors Field (SD 21, COL 0) for their eighth straight loss and their 33rd loss in 39 games this season. The 21-0 score is the worst shutout loss in Rockies history and one of the worst in baseball’s Modern Era (since 1900).

I’ll say this much: Colorado’s social media team has done a great job rolling with the punches:

The Padres scored five runs in the first inning, one run in the second, one run in the third, eight runs in the fourth, four runs in the fifth, one run in the sixth, and one run in the eighth. Every starter had at least one hit and seven of the nine starters had multiple hits. No. 9 hitter Elias Díaz was the only Padres starter without an RBI. He went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a walk.

Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth, Jason Heyward, Gavin Sheets and Fernando Tatis Jr. all went deep in Saturday’s win. The Padres scored their 21 runs on 24 hits and five walks. They went 10-19 (.526) with runners in scoring position and struck out only four times in 56 plate appearances.

The 21 runs are the second most in Padres’ history. They scored 24 runs in a 24-8 win over the Washington Nationals on July 16, 2021. Before Saturday, San Diego’s largest shutout win was a 13-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 11, 1991. Colorado’s previous worst shutout loss was a 17-0 beatdown by the then-Florida Marlins on Sept. 17, 1995.

Saturday was the tenth time in franchise history the Rockies allowed at least 20 runs in a game, and, not surprisingly, nine of the 10 have come at Coors Field. The franchise record is 26 runs allowed in a 26-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 18, 1995. The 21-0 loss is the seventh time a team allowed at least 20 runs while scoring zero in the Modern Era. Here’s the list:

Colorado is the second team in history to lose 33 of their first 39 games, joining the 1988 Baltimore Orioles team that started the season 0-21. Those 1988 O’s won their 40th game to improve to 7-33. A loss in Sunday’s series finale with the Padres would give the Rockies the worst record through 40 games in baseball history.

The Rockies don’t just lose a lot though. They get run out of the building almost every single night. Look at their last week. This is about as poorly as a team can play:

• Saturday: 21-0 loss to Padres
• Friday: 13-9 loss to Padres
• Thursday: 11-1 loss to Tigers and 10-2 loss to Tigers (doubleheader)
• Wednesday: 8-6 loss to Tigers
• Tuesday: rained out, mercifully
• Monday: 9-3 loss to Giants

Colorado has been outscored 72-21 in their last six games and they’ve been outscored by 134 runs this season. The Marlins have the second worst run differential at minus-67, so the Rockies have exactly doubled the next worst run differential.

The Chicago White Sox lost a modern record 121 games last season and they were 11-28 through 39 games. The 2025 Rockies are behind that pace. They’re on pace to go 25-137. The fewest wins in the Modern Era is 36 by the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics. The A’s played a 153-game schedule that season. For better or worse, the Rockies will play a full 162 games this year.

As for the Padres, Saturday’s win combined with the Los Angeles Dodgers losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks (ARI 3, LAD 0) moved San Diego into first place in the NL West. They have the NL’s best record at 25-13. Righty Stephen Kolek held the Rockies to five hits in a complete game shutout Saturday. He’s the 28th pitcher to throw a nine-inning shutout at Coors Field.