SAN FRANCISCO -- Refusing to let a rough September end quietly, Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle began his Saturday with a home run and ended it with a double as part of a ninth-inning rally.
Fittingly for the Rockies season, though, Doyle’s defensive day ended short of a run-saving catch. His offensive day ended 90 feet from home plate. Giants third baseman Matt Chapman caught Ezequiel Tovar’s bases-loaded foul pop before tumbling into the fencing and the net as the Rockies lost, 4-3.
Doyle nearly prevented the Giants’ fourth run, but Rafael Devers’ short, wind-affected pop ticked off the diving Doyle’s extended glove. It was the type of play Doyle will never hesitate to try, and one he made often while winning the National League Gold Glove Award the last two seasons.
“Definitely a nail-biter to the end, but it’s just the kind of identity we’ve grown to come to -- we’re not going to quit until the last out,” Doyle said. “We definitely had them on their heels the last inning. [It's] just baseball. Sometimes, you don’t end up on the winning side.”
The loss was the Rockies’ 11th in the last 13 and this year’s 118th, which means the team will finish with the second-most defeats in National League history (behind the 120 of the 1962 expansion Mets) regardless the result of Sunday afternoon’s season finale at Oracle Park.
Coming close doesn’t count for much for a club that has to get about fixing the conditions that have led to such a season. But to be under consideration to be part of the solution, players like Doyle need days like Saturday.
Hunter Goodman’s first-inning solo shot was his 31st homer of the season, and Doyle opened the second with his 15th homer -- both off Justin Verlander. The 2-0 lead, however, evaporated on Rockies starter Kyle Freeland’s worst pitch of his solid six innings -- one that Casey Schmitt powered for a three-run homer in the second.
Doyle’s homer was meaningful during this season of extremes.
Doyle fought quadriceps issues and missed time for family reasons early en route to a .193 batting average through June (71 games) -- one that led to multiple days out of the lineup to correct bad swing habits. The turnaround was stunning -- a .338/.371/.554 slash line in 45 games over July and August.
However, the slump returned in September -- .171 batting average in 21 games through Saturday. But the shot off Verlander ended a 26-game homerless streak. Had it not happened, he would have tied the longest drought of his career.
“I have a lot of respect for their starter today,” Doyle said. “I grew up watching him, but had a game plan for him and executed it pretty well.”
There was no question on Doyle’s effort in the eighth, on a play that would have made reliever Victor Vodnik’s outing scoreless.
“I’m just going to roll the dice and try to make that out,” Doyle said. “That’s just the way I play center field. I don’t regret diving for it.”
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer said, “You always trust him to go after and get a ball. You can’t put the reins on him.”
Executing hitting plans will be an area of improvement for the Rockies, who at times in the second half showed improvement in that area. Saturday’s ninth inning featured a brief fit of quality at-bats from young players. Jordan Beck, who like Doyle has scuffled in September (.224 in 24 games through Saturday), opened the ninth against Ryan Walker with his 16th homer.
Doyle’s double moved the game to rookies Kyle Karros, who walked, and Ryan Ritter, who was hit by a pitch to bring Tovar up with two outs, with Goodman on deck. The Rockies fully expect Tovar to shake off the pains of this season and come through in these situations.
But Saturday ended the way games usually have in 2025.
After Sunday, Doyle can put it all behind and think of better endings. The Rockies resisted interest in Doyle at the Trade Deadline, believing it’s better to have him work on changing fortunes.
“It’s definitely been a roller coaster this season,” he said. “I think everyone can agree on that.”