As the Colorado Rockies stumble to the conclusion of the worst season in franchise history, The Denver Post takes a look at just how historically bad the 2025 team was.
10 of the ’25 Rockies’ gnarliest numbers
The 2025 Rockies put up some ugly statistics on their way to the worst season in franchise history. Here are 10 of the gnarliest:
Minus-416: Run differential, the worst in Major League Baseball’s modern era, and the worst in Rockies history by a wide margin. The 2024 Rockies were outscored by a “mere” 247 runs.
.238: Lowest team batting average. Last year’s club hit .242, which had been the worst.
.681: Team OPS, the lowest in franchise history, eclipsing the ’24 team’s .704 OPS. The six worst OPS numbers in team history have come in the last six seasons.
1.587: The 2025 pitching staff gave up a lot of hits and walks, but its WHIP is only the fourth-worst in team history. The 1999 staff had the highest at 1.705.
3.72: Runs scored per game, the fewest in club history. Four of the five lowest-scoring seasons have come since 2022.
6.64: Starting pitchers’ ERA, the worst, by far, in club history. The 1999 rotation posted a 6.19 ERA.
17: Times the Rockies were shut out this season. The old record for being blanked was 16 times, last done in 2021.
246: Home runs allowed by Rockies pitchers, the second most behind the 2019 staff that served up a record 270 homers.
1,007: Runs scored against, second only to the 1999 club, which saw opponents score 1,028 runs.
1,497: Strikeouts for hitters this season, fourth-most in franchise history. The 2024 club whiffed a team-record 1,607 times.
Note: Statistics are compiled through 159 games of the Rockies’ 2025 season.
A dreadful three-year run for Rockies baseball
The 2025 Rockies lost 116 games entering their weekend series against the Giants in San Francisco. It marks the third consecutive season that the Rockies topped 100 losses — the worst three-season stretch in franchise history. As bad as that three-year run has been, it doesn’t rank among the top 10 worst in Major League Baseball’s modern era (since 1901). Here’s how the 2023-25 Rockies compare
| Rank | Seasons | Team | Record (Win %) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1915-17 | Philadelphia Athletics | 134-324 (.293) |
| 2 | 1940-42 | Philadelphia Phillies | 135-323 (.295) |
| 3 | 1962-64 | New York Mets | 144-340 (.295) |
| 4 | 1939-41 | Philadelphia Phillies | 138-320 (.301) |
| 5 | 1919-21 | Philadelphia Athletics | 137-310 (.306) |
| 6 | 1938-40 | Philadelphia Phillies | 140-314 (.308) |
| 7 | 1909-11 | Boston Doves/Rustlers (Braves) | 142-315 (.311) |
| 8 | 1937-39 | St. Louis Browns (Orioles) | 144-316 (.313) |
| 9 | 1925-27 | Boston Red Sox | 144-315 (.314) |
| 10 | 1952-54 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 145-317 (.314) |
| 2023-25 | Colorado Rockies # | 163-320 (.337) |
# Note: With three games remaining in the 2025 season | Source: Baseball Reference.
In trouble from the start
The 2025 Colorado Rockies’ starting rotation was statistically one of the worst in baseball’s modern era (since 1901). The following are the top-10 worst rotations, ranked by ERA:
| Rank | Team | Season | ERA | Record | Win % | HRs | Avg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Tigers | 1996 | 6.643 | 29-80 | .266 | 153 | .303 |
| 2 | Colorado Rockies # | 2025 | 6.641 | 22-90 | .196 | 143 | .313 |
| 3 | St. Louis Browns | 1939 | 6.34 | 33-93 | .262 | 85 | .314 |
| 4 | Texas Rangers | 2003 | 6.24 | 47-65 | .420 | 147 | .296 |
| 5 | Colorado Rockies | 1999 | 6.19 | 49-65 | .430 | 159 | .301 |
| 6 | Philadelphia Phillies | 1930 | 6.15 | 42-85 | .331 | 107 | .336 |
| 7 | Minnesota Twins | 1995 | 6.11 | 35-69 | .337 | 135 | .294 |
| 8 | Philadelphia Phillies | 1929 | 6.03 | 52-66 | .441 | 90 | .321 |
| 9 | St. Louis Browns | 1937 | 6.01 | 36-93 | .279 | 111 | .313 |
| 10 | Texas Rangers | 2001 | 6.00 | 51-58 | .468 | 142 | .304 |
# Through 159 games | Source: Opta Stats/Colorado Rockies
Scoreboard tells the story
The 2025 Rockies will set the record for the worst run differential in a season during Major League Baseball’s modern era (since 1901). They entered their final series with a differential of minus-416 runs this season.
| Year | Team | Run differential |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Colorado Rockies # | minus-416 |
| 1932 | Boston Red Sox | minus-349 |
| 1915 | Philadelphia Athletics | minus-344 |
| 2023 | Oakland Athletics | minus-399 |
| 2003 | Detroit Tigers | minus-337 |
| 2019 | Detroit Tigers | minus-333 |
| 1954 | Philadelphia Athletics | minus-333 |
| 1962 | New York Mets | minus-331 |
| 1936 | Philadelphia Athletics | minus-331 |
| 1916 | Philadelphia Athletics | minus-329 |
# With three games remaining in the season | Source: Baseball Reference
The Top 10 worst teams in modern Major League Baseball history
A look at the ten worst teams in modern MLB history by number of losses, a list that includes the 2025 Colorado Rockies.
1. 2024 Chicago White Sox
Record: 41-121 (.248)
Chicago topped the Mets’ longstanding record, losing 21 straight at one point and posting an ungodly 35% save percentage.
2. 1962 New York Mets
Record: 40-120-1 (.250)
The first-year Mets had a roster of cast-offs from the expansion draft. Seven years later, New York won the World Series.
3. 2003 Detroit Tigers
Record: 43-119 (.265)
The Tigers won five of their final six games to avoid passing the Mets. But the rebuild worked, leading to a pennant in 2006.
T-4. 1916 Philadelphia Athletics
Record: 36-117-1 (.235)
With the lowest winning percentage of any modern team, all-time winningest manager Connie Mack’s squad hit just 19 homers all year.
T-4. 2025 Colorado Rockies
Record: 44-118 (.272) (Projected)
Colorado had a club-record 13 rookies, set an MLB record for worst run differential and spent $27 million on an injured Kris Bryant.
T-6. 2018 Baltimore Orioles
Record: 47-115 (.290)
The O’s tore down their roster at the trade deadline to launch a rebuild and finished 61 games out of first place in the AL East.
T-6. 1935 Boston Braves
Record: 38-115 (.248)
Babe Ruth played 28 games for the Braves in his final season, batting just .181; Boston had 14-game and 15-game losing streaks.
8. 2019 Detroit Tigers
Record: 47-114 (.292)
The Tigers were an awful offensive club, racking up 1,595 strikeouts with just 149 homers; team was plagued by injuries after a 7-3 start.
9. 1904 Washington Senators
Record: 38-113-6 (.252)
Led by two player/managers, first catcher Malachi Kittridge and then outfielder Patsy Donovan, the Senators were shut out 27 times.
T-10. 2023 Oakland Athletics
Record: 50-112 (.309)
In the A’s worst season since moving to Oakland in 1968, the team had the lowest batting average (.223) and fewest runs (585) in MLB.
T-10. 1965 New York Mets
Record: 50-112-2 (.309)
Slightly better than the ’62 team, the Mets lost 43 games after leading, were shut out 22 times, and had a .259 road win percentage.
T-10. 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 42-112-1 (.273)
The Pirates were a career low for Hall of Fame executive Branch Rickey. They started and finished poorly; lost 35 games by five-plus runs.
Top 10 most embarrassing losses of the Rockies’ worst season ever
As the Rockies are sure to set the modern record for worst run differential. Here’s a look at their 10 most embarrassing losses of 2025.
Padres 21, Rockies 0
Date: May 10 at Coors Field
The carnage: In the season’s worst loss, San Diego blasted Colorado starter Bradley Blalock for 12 runs in three-plus innings, including a five-run opening frame. Colorado mustered five hits to the Padres’ 24, and San Diego hit five homers as the Rockies became the sixth team in the modern era to lose by 21 or more runs in a shutout. The next day, the Rockies fired manager Bud Black.
They said it: “You never want to be in that position as a team, unless you’re winning,” catcher Jacob Stallings said.
Orioles 18, Rockies 0
Date: July 26 at Camden Yards
The carnage: In Baltimore’s largest shutout win in franchise history, the Rockies were already down 8-0 when the Orioles reeled off nine runs in the seventh. Colorado only had two hits while Baltimore had 18. Zach Agnos and Nick Anderson were both shelled in the seventh as Baltimore batted around in the frame, and then some. The Rockies got just one runner into scoring position.
They said it: “It’s kind of one of those nights. I feel like everybody for the most part put good swings on the ball,” interim Baltimore manager Tony Mansolino said.
Blue Jays 20, Rockies 1
Date: Aug. 6 at Coors Field
The carnage: In a showdown between Colorado products Kevin Gausman (Grandview) and Kyle Freeland (Thomas Jefferson), the Rockies went up 1-0 in the first on Ezequiel Tovar’s RBI double. It was all Blue Jays from there as they racked up 24 hits and posted eight runs in the ninth. It capped a one-sided sweep in which Toronto set a modern MLB record with 63 hits in a three-game series.
They said it: “Pretty absurd,” Gausman said of Toronto’s hit total in the series.
Blue Jays 15, Rockies 1
Date: Aug. 4 at Coors Field
The carnage: In the opener of that historically lopsided series, Bo Bichette summoned his Blake Street Bombers bloodline with two homers and six RBIs. It was 9-0 by the time the Rockies got their run in the fifth, and eight of Toronto’s nine starters had multiple hits. Colorado starter Tanner Gordon was pummeled for seven runs through two plus innings; the bullpen didn’t fare much better.
They said it: “I just tried to make quality pitches, but they put the ball in play,” Gordon said. “… I’m sure that the bullpen doesn’t like me right now.”
Brewers 17, Rockies 2
Date: April 9 at Coors Field
The carnage: In a defeat that was an omen for the rest of the season, the Rockies didn’t stand a chance against Milwaukee. The Brewers rocked Antonio Senzatela early, then Seth Halvorsen late, and Colorado made four errors, including errors by Gold Glovers Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle in the same game for the first time.
They said it: “They hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Senzatela said. “Huge mistakes by me. I have to keep the ball down.”
Braves 12, Rockies 4
Date: June 13 at Truist Park
The carnage: The Rockies had a 4-1 lead entering the sixth inning, but the bullpen unraveled. Jake Bird and Victor Vodnik were both pegged for three runs apiece; Ryan Rolison allowed five runs. Colorado made four errors, tying a season high. The team was 4 for 14 with RISP as part of a season-long trend. The next day, the Rockies set a season-high with 19 strikeouts.
They said it: “We’ve got to get the job done — execution-wise — when runners are aboard,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said.
Yankees 13, Rockies 1
Date: May 24 at Coors Field
The carnage: The game was tied 1-1, then the wheels fell off. In a 10-run fifth inning — the most runs allowed in a frame by the Rockies all year — the Yankees blew it open in front of a heavy pro-New York crowd. A Kyle Freeland throwing error jump-started the big inning, which also featured a weird play where second baseman Adael Amador’s glove flew off in the direction of a line drive.
They said it: “Life is like baseball. You can have a really good game and then follow it up with a really bad one,” Amador said. “It’s a normal feeling, but not a great one.”
Tigers 11, Rockies 1
Date: May 8 at Coors Field
The carnage: After Detroit rolled to a 10-2 win in the first game of a doubleheader, the Tigers stomped Colorado in the second game, too. The minus-18 run differential tied a franchise record for the largest negative run differential in a doubleheader sweep in franchise history. Colorado didn’t have an extra-base hit in Game 2, made two errors and reliever Tyler Kinley got lit up.
They said it: “We’re playing a bad brand of baseball, all the way around,” Kyle Freeland said after Game 1 of the doubleheader. “Pitching, fielding, hitting. It’s bad.”
Mets 13, Rockies 5
Date: June 8 at Coors Field
The carnage: The Mets put on a home run clinic in LoDo, mashing six homers, including a pair off prized rookie right-hander Chase Dollander. It was a performance that underscored Dollander’s inconsistent season — especially at Coors. The six long balls given up were tied for the second-most at home in franchise history.
They said it: “To be honest with you, I’m not really doing my job right now,” Dollander said.
Dodgers 9, Rockies 0
Date: Sept. 10 at Dodger Stadium
The carnage: The Rockies managed just eight hits over the three-game series in L.A., including nearly getting no-hit in the opener. The Dodgers won the season series 11-2, and in the Sept. 10 thumping, Colorado notched only two hits and struck out 17 times as Blake Snell dominated.
They said it: “The changeup got us from Snell,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Spin got us last night, and spin got us the night before that. So, overall, it was a tough series for us.”
5 weird moments from Rockies’ bizarre lost season
The Rockies’ 2025 season wasn’t just about the mounting number of losses; it was about weird moments, games, innings, and trends. Here are five of them:
Slip of the glove
Date: May 24
Synopsis: The Yankees bludgeoned the Rockies, 13-1, on a Saturday afternoon at Coors Field. In the Yanks’ 10-run fifth inning, Rockies second baseman Adael Amador threw his glove at Paul Goldschmidt’s line-drive, run-scoring single to right field. Amador’s glove didn’t come close to hitting the ball, but if it had, Goldschmidt would have been awarded three bases.
They said it: “I didn’t have the glove tight on my hand. When I jumped up, the glove slipped off.” — Adael Amador
Purple pain
Date: June 25
Synopsis: Rookie right-hander Chase Dollander blanked the Dodgers for five innings at Coors, but in the top of the sixth, lightning crashed and the sky opened up. With two on and two out, Max Muncy hit a sky-high pop-up to the right side of the infield, where Colorado second baseman Thairo Estrada was ready to make the play. But Estrada lost the ball amid the rain and lights and covered his head. First baseman Michael Toglia covered his head, too, and was startled when the ball landed a few feet from him. Dalton Rushin and Shohei Ohtani scored easily, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. After a lengthy rain delay, the Dodgers cruised to an 8-1 victory.
They said it: “You can’t control Mother Nature, you can’t control a bunch of things.” — Chase Dollander
Wild night in LoDo
Date: Aug. 1
Synopsis: The Pirates scored nine runs in their first at-bat and led 16-10 after six innings, but the Rockies roared back with five runs in the ninth, winning the 3-hour, 37-minute score-a-thon on Brenton Doyle’s two-run homer. Colorado’s 17-16 victory at Coors marked just the 13th time in baseball’s modern era (since 1901) that a team allowed 16 runs and won. The Rockies also did it on July 4, 2008, beating the Marlins 18-17 at Coors.
They said it: “That’s got to be the most incredible game I’ve ever been involved in, hands down, with all the stuff that went into it.” — Manager Warren Schaeffer
Catcher in the raw
Date: Aug. 6
Synopsis: With the Blue Jays leading 12-1 entering the ninth, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer waved the white flag, sending catcher Austin Nola to the mound. Four consecutive doubles, two homers and eight runs later, the Blue Jays had a 20-1 lead. The Blue Jays swept the three-game series, outscoring the Rockies 45-6 and hitting 13 homers. Colorado pitchers gave up 63 hits — the most ever compiled in baseball history over a three-game series. Austin Nola, whose brother is Philadelphia pitcher Aaron Nola, played the role of the good soldier.
They said it: “I’m sure I’m gonna get a text from Aaron. I’ll just blame it on (the hitter-friendly altitude of) Colorado or something.” — Austin Nola
Subject to ejection
Date: Sept. 2
Synopsis: Two batters and eight pitches into the game, Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland served up a towering, two-run homer to the Giants’ Rafael Devers. After Devers dramatically flipped his bat and began a slow-motion trot, Freeland screamed some choice words, telling Devers to quit showboating. What started as a war of words quickly evolved into a bench-clearing fracas. Freeland was ejected, San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman was suspended one game for shoving Freeland, and the Giants’ Willy Adames and Devers were fined. The Giants won, 7-4, handing the Rockies their 100th loss of the season.
They said it: “Extremely disrespectful to show me up like that in the first inning after hitting a home run. Standing there, watching it, taking your sweet time getting down to first base.” — Kyle Freeland.
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