Rockies Warren Schaeffer Drops Eye-Opening Quote After Rout of Athletics

This is not something Rockies fans were thinking they would hear in 2026.

Kyle Karros and TJ Rumfield | Boz Bloom-Imagn Images

It might not be reflected in the standings and other numbers, but things are certainly changing around the Colorado Rockies. After the organization hired Paul DePodesta, he made some offseason moves and removed the interim tag from manager Warren Schaeffer.

Just the feeling around the organization that was spoken about by some players and everything that was being said, made things feel different. That's not saying much coming off three straight 100-loss seasons. However, what happened over the weekend against the Athletics is something that can't be ignored. Neither is one postgame quote from Schaeffer.

Rockies' Warren Schaeffer Has Truthful, But Honest Take After Rout of Athletics

Warren Schaeffer | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images

After dropping the first two games of their weekend series against the Athletics in Las Vegas, the Rockies were looking to salvage the final game on Sunday afternoon before flying to Chicago for a series against the Cubs. What happened is not something that Colorado is used to.

The Rockies erupted for 23 runs on 24 hits in a 23-9 victory. Nobody saw that coming, not even Schaeffer.

“I don’t ever foresee a game like this. This is an outlier, big time,” Schaeffer said. “But I always feel like something good is going to happen when our team takes the field. I feel like the way we’ve been conducting our at-bats, and the way we’ve been going about our business, the progression of that as the year has gone on has consistently gotten better.”

He's not wrong. It was an outlier. However, what can't be denied or ignored is the way it happened. Willi Castro had four hits and seven RBIs in the leadoff spot. How about catcher Hunter Goodman?

He struggled in the first two games of the series, but had five hits and four RBIs. The Rockies scored at least two runs in six of the nine innings. Colorado fans have been waiting for a long time for crooked numbers in a game like that. When was the last time they got a promising quote like that from a Rockies manager?

Are the Rockies going to climb out of last place and get into the National League playoff race? No. However, every little step they can take in 2026 bodes well for the future.

There are some young players who are coming along, and there are some veterans who could be moved at the deadline to help DePodesta and his staff continue to build for the future. A second series in a week against the Cubs, who are struggling, could make for an interesting series in the Windy City after Sunday's offensive explosion.