The feat of endurance that is following the 2025 Colorado Rockies reached its lowest point yet on Saturday.
The Rockies — owners of the worst record in MLB, the second-worst offense in MLB (by runs scored), the worst pitching staff in MLB (by ERA), the worst run differential in MLB and, let’s face it, the worst vibes in MLB — lost 21-0 to the San Diego Padres in a massacre at home.
Advertisement
Their record is now 6-33, the worst 39-game start to a season in National League history and tied with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for MLB’s worst of the modern era (since 1900). By comparison, the 2024 Chicago White Sox, the losingest team in MLB history, started the season 11-28.
Saturday’s game was as brutal as the score suggests. For starters, literally, rookie Bradley Blalock began the game on the mound for Colorado and quickly ran into trouble, allowing five runs in the first inning. Rather than pull him, the Rockies let him wear it, keeping him out there until he had thrown 87 pitches.
He exited the game with 13 hits allowed, 12 earned runs, 2 walks and a single strikeout in 3 2/3 innings of work. His ERA is now 12.94 in five appearances (three starts).
Advertisement
He was relieved by Juan Mejia, who allowed seven runs (four earned) in 1 1/3 innings. Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. capped off the carnage against those two with a three-run homer.
Meanwhile, the Rockies mustered five hits against Padres starter Stephen Kolek, a Rule 5 pick making his second career start, despite the offensively friendly confines of Coors Field. He threw a shutout.
In their last six games, the Rockies have allowed 9, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 20 runs. They have allowed more runs nine games into May (85) than the Padres did in all of April (83).
How can the Rockies possibly be this bad?
With a run differential of -134 through 39 games, the Rockies are now on pace for a minus-557 run differential for the season, which would be the worst of the modern era by a galling margin. Here is what the, er, leaderboard would look like:
Advertisement
1. 2025 Colorado Rockies, -557
2. 1932 Boston Red Sox, -345
3. 1932 Philadelphia Athletics, -344
4. 2023 Oakland Athletics, -339
5. 2003 Detroit Tigers, -337
The current record-holding Red Sox are actually closer to the pace of 2025’s second-worst run differential team, the Miami Marlins, than what the Rockies are doing right now. We are talking about an outlier among outliers in miserable futility, without much reason to expect improvement.
As we learned with the White Sox last season, it’s actually pretty hard to get a historically bad team off the floor. With the way the game is played these days, where teams are either trying to win or are ripping up the floorboards to maximize future winning, Colorado isn’t trading for any major-league talent. If anything, they’re likely dealing any players with value when the trade deadline hits.
And despite three straight last-place finishes and no winning records since 2018, the Rockies’ minor-league system comes in as only the 18th-best on MLB Pipeline’s rankings. The only player in their top 5 with an ETA of 2025 is No. 1 prospect Chase Dollander, who is already with the team. He currently has a 7.71 ERA.
The Rockies are in the bad place right now, and they don’t really have an easy way out. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Matthew Stockman via Getty Images)
The Rockies do have some players on the injured list, but it’s not like there’s an obvious difference-maker coming back anytime soon. Kris Bryant is the most notable name of the group, and he a) hasn’t posted an OPS+ above MLB average in three years, b) is dealing with a lumbar degenerative disease that sounds hard to come back from and c) has been placed on the IL nine times since 2022. It’s not hyperbole to call his $182 million contract one of the worst in MLB history.
It is an absolutely miserable experience in Colorado right now. We have reached the point where Kyle Freeland, a nine-year Rockies veteran who grew up in Denver and once reached the top 4 in Cy Young voting, was on the verge of tears Thursday while talking about how his team is doing.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Pittsburgh Steelers Week 13 Preview: A Herd of Buffalo
The Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 season has six games remaining and three of those will be played in Pittsburgh while the other half of the games has Pittsburgh taking to the road. It begins in week 13 of the season with the Buffalo Bills coming to Acrisure Stadium. This game should take the form of a playoff matchup for both teams, as Pittsburgh and Buffalo are not just fighting for a shot at the postseason but possibly winning their respective divisions. Which team is a victory more important for? Certainly, that question should be geared more towards the Steelers. Currently tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first place, Pittsburgh has an extremely crucial game in Baltimore following the Bills game. Buffalo finds themselves two full games behind the red hot first place New England Patriots and how New England has been […]
Sherrone Moore Takes Blame For Michigan’s Blowout Loss: ‘I’ll Put It On Me’
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore took full responsibility for the Wolverines' 27-9 loss to No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday."I'll put it on me," Moore said. "Always put stuff on me. It's got to be better."Coming into the game, No. 15 Michigan had a shot at earning a spot in the College Football Playoff and the Big Ten Championship with a win. After the result, the Wolverines will likely miss out on both. Moore feels bad for the players, especially the seniors, because of the work they put in. It just didn't show on the field Saturday, as the Wolverines failed to score a touchdown and only threw for 63 yards. "It stings. You sting for the seniors. You sting for the program," he said. "When you're in this for 24/7. When you're in this for 365, it hurts. And you […]
Whittaker obliterates Gavazi with first-round stoppage
Ben Whittaker blew Benjamin Gavazi away with a brutal first-round stoppage in his Birmingham homecoming.The Olympic silver medallist knocked his German opponent down and then out inside two minutes and 15 seconds of the opening round at the NEC Arena. Gavazi entered the ring as an unknown quantity, but Whittaker immediately exposed the gulf in class with ruthless and devastating precision. Whittaker's fast hands unleashed a flurry of shots that sent Gavazi crashing to the canvas. When he rose to his feet, he was emphatically dispatched by a huge overhand right.The victory marked Whittaker's statement debut under Matchroom Boxing, secured in spectacular fashion. Whittaker: Damn, I looked good"When you walk out pretty like that, you have to back it up and that's what I did," Whittaker said post-fight on DAZN. "Andy [Lee] said in the locker room, 'What you do […]
‘Man Utd are soft defending our box’ – Amorim explains recent frustrations
Ruben Amorim says Manchester United are "soft" defending their own box, adding that there is little time afforded at the club to find consistency and wins so they must happen now.At the City Ground on November 1, Man Utd conceded twice in two minutes at the start of the second half. They went on to draw 2-2, the same result they had against Tottenham the following week. And against Everton on Monday Night Football, David Moyes' side scored with their only shot on target to beat Man Utd 1-0. This season, Amorim's side have scored and conceded the same amount of goals - 19 each - and the head coach has criticised his team's defensive play.Speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace, he said: "We have some results of not letting a lot of teams in the […]
Frank slams Spurs boos for Vicario: ‘They can’t be true fans, it’s unacceptable’
Thomas Frank called Tottenham fans who booed Guglielmo Vicario during their 2-1 defeat to Fulham as "not true fans" and deemed it "unacceptable".Vicario was booed by his own supporters after his howler in a shambolic opening half against Fulham in which Spurs conceded twice in the first six minutes, with a second-half revival not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat. Already trailing from Kenny Tete's third-minute deflected opener, a moment of madness from the Italian goalkeeper less than three minutes later gifted possession to Harry Wilson after running some 25 yards off his line, and the Fulham midfielder punished his poor clearance with a stunning strike into the unguarded net. Frank said: "I didn't like that our fans booed at him [Vicario] straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone […]
Papers: Man Utd plan shock swoop for Real Madrid star Valverde
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...Premier LeagueManchester United are on a collision course with Real Madrid over Federico Valverde. The Real superstar has emerged as a shock target of United - Daily Mirror. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The Transfer Show panel discuss whether Manchester United might need to sign a midfielder during the January window and debate if it might be better for Ruben Amorim's side to wait until the summer. Crystal Palace and Fulham are among the clubs who are continuing to monitor Watford's highly-rated winger Rocco Vata - Daily Mail. Former Manchester United and Leeds striker Alan Smith has opened up about why he has permanently lost sensation in three toes on his left foot - Daily Star. Spreaker This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using […]
Related
Pittsburgh Steelers Week 13 Preview: A Herd of Buffalo
The Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 season has six games remaining and three of those will be played in Pittsburgh while the other half of the games has Pittsburgh taking to the road. It begins in week 13 of the season with the Buffalo Bills coming to Acrisure Stadium. This game should take the form of a playoff matchup for both teams, as Pittsburgh and Buffalo are not just fighting for a shot at the postseason but possibly winning their respective divisions. Which team is a victory more important for? Certainly, that question should be geared more towards the Steelers. Currently tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first place, Pittsburgh has an extremely crucial game in Baltimore following the Bills game. Buffalo finds themselves two full games behind the red hot first place New England Patriots and how New England has been […]
Sherrone Moore Takes Blame For Michigan’s Blowout Loss: ‘I’ll Put It On Me’
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore took full responsibility for the Wolverines' 27-9 loss to No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday."I'll put it on me," Moore said. "Always put stuff on me. It's got to be better."Coming into the game, No. 15 Michigan had a shot at earning a spot in the College Football Playoff and the Big Ten Championship with a win. After the result, the Wolverines will likely miss out on both. Moore feels bad for the players, especially the seniors, because of the work they put in. It just didn't show on the field Saturday, as the Wolverines failed to score a touchdown and only threw for 63 yards. "It stings. You sting for the seniors. You sting for the program," he said. "When you're in this for 24/7. When you're in this for 365, it hurts. And you […]
Whittaker obliterates Gavazi with first-round stoppage
Ben Whittaker blew Benjamin Gavazi away with a brutal first-round stoppage in his Birmingham homecoming.The Olympic silver medallist knocked his German opponent down and then out inside two minutes and 15 seconds of the opening round at the NEC Arena. Gavazi entered the ring as an unknown quantity, but Whittaker immediately exposed the gulf in class with ruthless and devastating precision. Whittaker's fast hands unleashed a flurry of shots that sent Gavazi crashing to the canvas. When he rose to his feet, he was emphatically dispatched by a huge overhand right.The victory marked Whittaker's statement debut under Matchroom Boxing, secured in spectacular fashion. Whittaker: Damn, I looked good"When you walk out pretty like that, you have to back it up and that's what I did," Whittaker said post-fight on DAZN. "Andy [Lee] said in the locker room, 'What you do […]
‘Man Utd are soft defending our box’ – Amorim explains recent frustrations
Ruben Amorim says Manchester United are "soft" defending their own box, adding that there is little time afforded at the club to find consistency and wins so they must happen now.At the City Ground on November 1, Man Utd conceded twice in two minutes at the start of the second half. They went on to draw 2-2, the same result they had against Tottenham the following week. And against Everton on Monday Night Football, David Moyes' side scored with their only shot on target to beat Man Utd 1-0. This season, Amorim's side have scored and conceded the same amount of goals - 19 each - and the head coach has criticised his team's defensive play.Speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace, he said: "We have some results of not letting a lot of teams in the […]
Frank slams Spurs boos for Vicario: ‘They can’t be true fans, it’s unacceptable’
Thomas Frank called Tottenham fans who booed Guglielmo Vicario during their 2-1 defeat to Fulham as "not true fans" and deemed it "unacceptable".Vicario was booed by his own supporters after his howler in a shambolic opening half against Fulham in which Spurs conceded twice in the first six minutes, with a second-half revival not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat. Already trailing from Kenny Tete's third-minute deflected opener, a moment of madness from the Italian goalkeeper less than three minutes later gifted possession to Harry Wilson after running some 25 yards off his line, and the Fulham midfielder punished his poor clearance with a stunning strike into the unguarded net. Frank said: "I didn't like that our fans booed at him [Vicario] straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone […]
Papers: Man Utd plan shock swoop for Real Madrid star Valverde
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...Premier LeagueManchester United are on a collision course with Real Madrid over Federico Valverde. The Real superstar has emerged as a shock target of United - Daily Mirror. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The Transfer Show panel discuss whether Manchester United might need to sign a midfielder during the January window and debate if it might be better for Ruben Amorim's side to wait until the summer. Crystal Palace and Fulham are among the clubs who are continuing to monitor Watford's highly-rated winger Rocco Vata - Daily Mail. Former Manchester United and Leeds striker Alan Smith has opened up about why he has permanently lost sensation in three toes on his left foot - Daily Star. Spreaker This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using […]
Be the first to leave a comment