DENVER -- The Rockies absorbed a road sweep at Texas in the first three games that Warren Schaeffer worked as interim manager for the Rockies after replacing Bud Black. But Schaeffer established a tone that is speaking much louder this offseason.
In the first two games -- winnable but resulting in 2-1 and 4-1 defeats -- Schaeffer didn’t wait until the very end to use his bench. Substitutes Sean Bouchard and Kyle Farmer each had two plate appearances in the first game, and Bouchard and Owen Miller entered for two plate appearances (Farmer made one plate appearance) in the second game. Even in the 8-3 loss in the final game, Farmer and Mickey Moniak had multiple plate appearances.
Of course, the 43-119 Rockies possessed neither the frontline players nor the depth to succeed no matter how the lineup was deployed. But Schaeffer, whom president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta named full-time manager in November, will continue the aggression in 2026.
The new front office has set out to give Schaeffer a deeper roster by trading with the Diamondbacks for speedy, left-handed-hitting outfielder Jake McCarthy and signing multi-position switch-hitter Willi Castro, an All-Star in 2024, for two years and $12.8 million.
In a strict depth chart sense, these additions can be criticized as repeats of guys on the roster. McCarthy arrives when there is already speed in center fielder Brenton Doyle and left-handed hitting in Mickey Moniak, who is coming off a career year. Castro can play infield and outfield, but so can right-handed-hitting Tyler Freeman, who offers leadoff skills similar to McCarthy's.
But Schaeffer has no plans to manage by strict depth chart, or be tied to his starting lineup. The more options there are -- especially when there is balance of left- and right-handed hitting -- the more he can scratch and write in names on his lineup card during a game.
“You’re looking for the high-leverage situations and trying to create as much leverage as you can,” Schaeffer said. “If there’s a situation in the fourth inning where we have runners at second and third, and there is a pitching change where we have a bad matchup and can use a better one for two big runs, we’re definitely considering doing that.
“You need to take advantage of what’s given to you on a daily basis. You have to be ready to do that. We’re looking to win every night. If that’s in your brain and if there is an opportunity in the fourth inning to get this win tonight, you look at it.”
The roster still needs work. The Rockies, overly right-handed in the past, prefer a left-handed hitter at first base. Club officials decline to identify targets, beyond acknowledging that they are open to roster and non-roster signings to increase depth. However, industry sources say Luis Arraez, who would give a strikeout prone team elite bat-to-ball skills, is under consideration. Nathaniel Lowe, who has more power than Arraez and was a Gold Glove winner in 2023, and Dominic Smith, who had a .750 OPS in 63 games with the Giants last year, could be fits.
(From a starting pitching standpoint, the Rockies have signed free-agent Michael Lorenzen and believe they can add another through free agency or a trade.)
For a better idea of Schaeffer’s approach, consider the Tigers. Manager A.J. Hinch (whose managerial career began a few years back under new Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes) had the tough conversations with players who had legitimate arguments for playing all the time, and fostered enough buy-in to produce postseason trips the last two seasons.
“I admire A.J. Hinch,” Schaeffer said last season when discussing how he wanted to use his roster. “He’s forward-thinking in the way he operates immediately.”