Rockies Interim Manager Has Chance of Being Named Full-Time Skipper

It sounds like there's a chance Warren Schaeffer could earn himself the Colorado Rockies manager role.

Aug 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer (32) watches on from the dugout during the early innings of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field / Allan Henry-Imagn Images

It has not been a fun stretch for the Colorado Rockies the past few years.

Owners of the worst overall record in Major League Baseball since 2020, this franchise is banking on the young players on their current MLB roster and in their pipeline to develop into difference makers.

That is a risky move, especially if the ownership group isn't willing to spend money on established veterans who could help speed up the process.

But perhaps more than anything, what the Rockies need is someone who can lead them forward during this rebuilding phase.

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They decided Bud Black wasn't the man for the job on May 11, dismissing him after 40 games this season where Colorado sat with a 7-33 record and an overall mark of 543-690 that began in 2017.

Warren Schaeffer was promoted from third base coach to take over the interim managerial role.

While things haven't been pretty for the Rockies, they sit with a 32-88 record entering Thursday where the .313 winning percentage under Schaeffer is a noticeably improved mark compared to the .175 figure they had to start the year under Black.

Colorado is now no longer on pace to set the single-season record for losses, needing just 10 wins out of their final 42 to avoid making history.

If that happens, it's fair to wonder if Schaeffer might be in the running for the full-time job.

Warren Schaeffer Has Support To Be Named Manager

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

While a good finish to this season would certainly help his case, according to Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post (subscription required), there is already some support for the interim tag to be removed.

"... there are those in the organization who believe that interim manager Warren Schaeffer deserves a shot at managing next year.  His future will likely depend on changes to the Rockies' front office," the insider reported.

It's easy to see why.

Schaeffer was selected in the 38th round of the 2007 draft by the Rockies, and after he spent six seasons in their minor league organization, he joined the coaching ranks after he retired.

He began working his way up and was named manager of the then-lower level affiliate Asheville Tourists from 2015-17 before being promoted to the manager of the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats for the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.

Schaeffer was then named the manager of the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes ahead of the cancelled 2020 season, the affiliate team he managed in 2021 and 2022 before being named Colorado's third base coach ahead of the 2023 campaign.

While he doesn't have a ton of Major League coaching experience, he's a Rockies lifer and has done a ton of work with younger players, which is what the organization should be focused on going forward.

Like Saunders said, though, the decision will be affected by if there's a front office change or not.

Either way, Schaeffer has put his best foot forward thus far. And a good close to this year would present his best possible case of getting the job full-time.

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