October Begins With Franchise at Bottom of National League
October begins Thursday, marking the end of another regular season for the Colorado Rockies. Along the Front Range, a prominent question remains: when will "Rocktober" return? For the franchise, getting back to the postseason appears distant rather than imminent.
The Rockies have endured a fourth consecutive 100-loss season. The team is currently attempting to escape the cellar of the National League standings. This extended period of losing has intensified scrutiny on the organization's direction and timeline for improvement.
White Sox Rebuild Offers Potential Blueprint
The Chicago White Sox serve as a model for turning a franchise around, according to reports. The White Sox went from three straight seasons with 100 or more losses, including an MLB-record 121 losses in 2024, to contention for the American League Central crown until the final week of the season.
Chicago finished with an 84-78 record. This turnaround included winning two of three games against the Rockies during the regular season’s final weekend, a series that secured a Wild Card spot for the White Sox.
A key component of Chicago's success was trading pitching ace Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox for four prospects after the 2024 campaign. Three of those prospects—Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel, and Braden Montgomery—play key roles in their Wild Card matchup against Houston.
Colorado’s Young Core and Pitching Struggles
Colorado catcher Hunter Goodman is compared to Crochet as he comes off a 41-home run season. Goodman is under team control through the 2029 season, providing the Rockies with a long-term offensive anchor.
Offensive production in Colorado has been limited. Only two players hit more than 20 home runs this season: Goodman with 41 and Mickey Moniak with 23.
The White Sox addressed their lineup by signing free agent Munetaka Murakami from Japan. Murakami hit 35 home runs and recorded 2.3 bWAR. This production would have ranked third on the Rockies behind Goodman’s 2.6 bWAR, highlighting the gap in power hitting between the two franchises.
Pitching remains a significant hurdle for Colorado. The Rockies' starting pitching core includes Mason Adams, Chase Dollander, and Gabriel Hughes, who could grow into legitimate starters. However, the rotation finished with a combined 6.28 ERA, the worst in baseball.
In contrast, White Sox starters combined for a 4.60 ERA, ranking 26th among 30 teams. The disparity extends to relief pitching as well. Chicago’s bullpen had a 3.70 ERA, ranking eighth among all relieving corps. Colorado’s bullpen posted a 4.80 ERA, placing 27th.