Rockies Early-Season Success Is Bad News for the Rest of National League West

When Paul DePodesta took over as president of baseball operations for the Colorado Rockies, there was nowhere to go but up. Instead of making some quick decisions that could have backfired, he stayed patient and committed to the future.

However, there were some changes to the roster and staff. It's just over a month into the 2026 season, but the noticeable difference is being seen by a lot of people. Are the days of the Colorado Rockies being the MLB punching bags over? According to Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, they just might be.

MLB Writer Sends Rockies' Message to the Rest of National League West

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen — Michael Lorenzen | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Again, it's only one month; however, the Rockies are off to a 14-18 start. That may not seem like much, but given where they were last season, losing 100 games for a third straight season, it's progress. Being only three games under .500 at the end of April for Colorado is big. How big?

"This matters to the NL West. The Rockies were the division's punching bag in 2025 to the tune of a 12-40 record. Now, they're in a position to punch back a little,'' Rymer wrote.

It's small steps; the Rockies managed to split a four-game series at home two weeks ago against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were then three outs away from taking two-out-of-three over the San Diego Padres. What been the difference? The pitching.

"There are no fewer than 10 different pitch types in the Rockies' staff, and not one of them accounts for over 30 percent of all offerings,'' Rymer wrote.

Colorado brought in some veteran free agents to solidify the starting rotation behind Kyle Freeland. Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano headlined the offseason additions along with José Quintana.

The Rockies are not going to be a playoff team in 2026, so some of those names could get DePodesta a haul back in a potential trade by the deadline in August.

The 2026 season is all about making strides, no matter how big or small and trying not to lose 100 games for a fourth straight season for Colorado. Through April, they have 14 wins and are moving in the right direction.

A big early-season trend is that the Rockies are not the punching bag they once were for the rest of the NL West. If they can continue that theme the rest of the season, then strides are going to be made for this year and the future in Denver.

Add us as a preferred source on Google