DENVER – The Rockies’ 15-game improvement brought them to 58 wins in 2026 – not exactly the success that president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta had in mind. But now is the time to appreciate the progress they made.
“One of the things we talked about internally is don't ever let a bad outcome go to waste, right?” DePodesta said Tuesday, when he and club president Walker Monfort conducted postseason media availability.
Here are some highlights:
The Rockies have the means to be active during the early part of the offseason.
According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Rockies’ year-end payroll of $121.6 million ranked 21st among MLB teams. That figure includes Kris Bryant, who received $27 million but missed the season with a back injury and does not yet have a clear timetable for his return. He is due $27 million each of the next two years. A largely young roster kept the payroll down.
Asked by MLB.com if there is a chance for a significant increase, DePodesta said “we have the means.”
How?
Not to be underrated is the addition of Penner Sports Group as the largest minority investor in the franchise. Monfort said his family – with his father, Dick Monfort, serving as owner, chairman and CEO – has no plans to sell controlling interest in the team. He added that the new investment cleared debt stemming from the COVID-19 fallout and the collapse of the regional sports network model.
"We're in a much better position today because of that partnership," Monfort said.
DePodesta said the massive investment in the baseball operation – including scouting, player development and information gathering and implementation – last winter will be “equal, if not larger” this offseason.
DePodesta also praised manager Warren Schaeffer, who was promoted from interim to full-time manager last offseason and heads into the second year of a two-year contract.
“What was critically important in terms of a goal for 2026, was sort of reinstilling belief in our clubhouse, that every single game we can go win that game – it doesn't matter who we're playing,” DePodesta said.
"I think that not only Schaeff but our coaching staff in general did a really, really good job of creating that atmosphere. It got challenging toward the end, and they still maintained it."
It all starts and ends with pitching.
“I looked today, 79 games were decided by a margin of two or less runs,” Monfort said. “We won 37 percent of those games. The key is that we played a lot of closer games. But on the other side of the spectrum, we have to figure out ways to win more of those games, and hopefully even decrease the number because we're winning by a wider margin.”
Happier endings depend on better beginnings.
As the season ended, DePodesta said the Rockies – who improved offensively and in the bullpen but have a screaming need for starting pitching that became glaring during the weak final six weeks – are already exploring ways to improve through trades and free agency. He reiterated the theme Tuesday.
“It was pretty clear what our biggest hole was, and that our starting pitching I think after the Trade Deadline had a 7 ERA,” DePodesta said. “For the year as a whole, our run differential was worse in innings 1 and 2 than innings 3 and beyond combined.”
Thinking caps are on.
The Rockies used “openers” for righty Chase Dollander, who showed promise before sustaining a season-ending right elbow injury in May. They converted starter Antonio Senzatela (now with the Brewers) to an all-occasion reliever. After going without a closer, they added veteran Jordan Romano in July and saw their best bullpen period – right before starting pitching faltered.
The Rockies tried other ideas. Pitching coach Alon Leichman called pitches from the dugout early, but the plan was largely abandoned by midseason. The Rockies’ use of righty Ryan Feltner as a “piggyback” – a starter-type who entered midgame – showed promise late in the year.
The thinking will continue.
“One of the things we've been talking about for the last few months has been, 'Let's think about 27 outs times 162, and you’ve got 13 [pitching] slots,'” DePodesta said. “How do we do that? Let's start with a blank piece of paper and try to build it from scratch. It's also going to be heavily predicated on the players that we have at any given time.”
Weigh the good and the bad.
Many roster additions of position players worked. Winter trade acquisition TJ Rumfield won National League Rookie of the Month honors in June and July, and August callup Cole Carrigg won the award in September. Deadline acquisitions – second baseman Connor Norby (Marlins), starting pitcher Mason Adams (White Sox) and relievers Nick Frasso (Dodgers) and Mark Manfredi (Brewers) – enhanced the roster.
Yet, the Rockies lost 100-plus games for the fourth straight year and need to be better in 2027. The 8-30 finish drives that lesson home.
“It sort of sullied how we all feel about the season to some degree,” DePodesta said. “Like having a good meal and waiting 45 minutes for the check.”