Did the Rockies Fix Their Biggest Offensive Problem in 2026?

Last October, Rockies On SI writer Jeremy Trottier highlighted Colorado's lack of plate discipline as one of the offense's biggest weaknesses. The numbers supported that claim, as the Rockies finished with a league-worst .293 on-base percentage.

A year later, it appears Colorado has improved quite a bit in that department.

Less Swinging, More Walking

Jake McCarthy celebrates in the dugout after he scores against the Chicago White Sox Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rockies made dramatic strides in their plate discipline this season. After finishing near the bottom of the league in walks and on-base percentage a year ago, Colorado climbed to seventh in MLB with a .322 on-base percentage in 2026. A few individual players played a major role in that improvement.

T.J. Rumfield had one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history, and a big reason was his ability to get on base. According to Statcast, his 11.4% walk rate ranked in the 80th percentile league-wide, and he paired that with an impressive 13% strikeout rate. Kyle Karros was another solid contributor for the Rockies and posted the exact same 11.4% walk rate as Rumfield. Cole Carrigg also reached base at a strong .341 clip, although his 7.5% walk rate was considerably lower than either Rumfield or Karros.

The change also appears to be coming from the coaching staff. Assistant hitting coach Jordan Pacheco described his philosophy through a series of questions he wants hitters to be able to answer at the plate in an article by Purple Row.

“What zone are you looking, and how aggressive are you going to be to the zone, and are you committed to it?”

That question is going to produce a different answer depending on the hitter. For Rumfield, much of his damage comes against pitches over the heart of the plate, where he has posted a .839 slugging percentage. He has also handled pitches on the inner half well.

Karros has been even more dangerous when pitchers work inside. He has posted an impressive 1.194 slugging percentage against pitches on the inner half, allowing him to use his bigger frame to turn on pitches and generate power.

Carrigg has also done his best work over the middle of the plate, posting an .800 slugging percentage in that area, although he has shown an ability to handle pitches both above and below the center of the zone as well.

No one hitter is going to be a carbon copy of another, but Rumfield, Karros and Carrigg have all played a role in improving Colorado's plate discipline this season. That added patience should help make the Rockies a more polished offensive team and could be one reason they are finally able to make progress toward climbing out of the NL West basement.

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