Veteran Rockies Pitcher Speaks Out on Decision to Retain Warren Schaeffer

The Colorado Rockies have decided to retain Warren Schaeffer, and one of the first players to speak out had nothing but positives to say about the decision.

May 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer (34) in the dugout in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are working to build a core of front office personnel that can bring them back to relevancy, and recently, after hiring Paul DePodesta, the franchise decided to also retain manager Warren Schaeffer.

Schaeffer took over as interim manager during May of 2025, and despite a less-than-optimal final record, he showed some promise with a roster that was not all that impressive.

Promoting him from interim manager to manager will be a decision that will take time to see how well it plays out, as he will need to work with a more proficient roster to get some results. Regardless, the team has chosen to keep him around for another year, with many of the top managerial options around the MLB having been picked up already.

The Colorado Rockies announced today that Warren Schaeffer has been named the club’s manager. pic.twitter.com/BjApvDfm81

— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) November 24, 2025

After it was announced that the franchise would be keeping him, a few players spoke out, and one of the first was veteran pitcher Kyle Freeland, a longtime starter for Colorado. He made it clear that he was happy with the decision and for Schaeffer, which is a good sign.

What Did Kyle Freeland Say About Retaining Schaeffer?

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Shortly following the team's official announcement, Freeland was quoted as saying the following by Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post:

“I’m very excited for Schaef, his family and our organization with him at the lead. We love playing for him and the type of mentality and passion he brings to the field every day."

Hearing that the players love playing for Schaefer is an enormous positive, and likely one of the key reasons why they kept him around for 2026. When a veteran of a franchise that has not had many long-term players recently vocally speaks out in favor of the decision, it tends to be a good sign for the future.

Obviously, the on-field product needs to rapidly improve, and bringing in DePodesta to mold the roster in a new image is a start to getting there. Frankly, it was difficult to really evaluate Schaeffer in 2025, given that he just did not have a ton of pitching to work with, and the team was not really improved throughout the year.

Hopefully, given some changes this offseason and some time to really work with the players throughout the winter, he will be able to take steps towards positive momentum and can turn this franchise in a better direction than the one it had been moving in previously.

Recommended Articles

feed