Image: (Carol Highsmith/Library of Congress)
2025 Record: 43-119 (.265 win%, 5th in Division)
2025 Payroll: 61,243,650 (22nd)
2025 Top 10 Players (by fWAR):
1. C Hunter Goodman 3.4 fWAR, 118 wRC+, .278 AVG/.323 OBP/.520 SLG
2. SP Kyle Freeland 2.5 fWAR, 4.98 ERA, 6.86 K/9, 2.10 BB/9
3. 3B Ryan McMahon* 1.3 fWAR, 87 wRC+, .217 AVG/.314 OBP/.403 SLG
4. RP Jimmy Herget 1.3 fWAR, 2.48 ERA, 8.75 K/9, 2.81 BB/9
5. LF Jordan Beck 0.9 fWAR, 90 wRC+, .258 AVG/.317 OBP/.416 SLG
6. SS Ezequiel Tovar 0.8 fWAR 78 wRC+, .253 AVG/.294 OBP/.400 SLG
7. RP Jake Bird* 0.7 fWAR, 4.73 ERA, 10.46 K/9, 3.88 BB/9
8. RP Juan Mejia 0.7 fWAR, 3.96 ERA, 9.98 K/9, 3.67 BB/9
9. RF Mickey Moniak 0.6 fWAR, 110 wRC+, .270 AVG/.306 OBP/.518 SLG
10. SP Tanner Gordon 0.6 fWAR, 6.33 ERA, 7.41 K/9, 2.03 BB/9
*stats are only for games played with the Rockies.
Regular Season Recap:
Highs and lows exist in all aspects of the world. Virtually everything fluctuates between peaks and troughs. When at a low point, one knows that a higher point will eventually be reached. However, such a philosophical outlook may not console your local Rockies fan after the 2025 season. A whopping 43 wins against 119 losses placed them at a .265 winning percentage, tying them for 7th on the leaderboard with the 2003 Tigers for the worst winning percentage in the modern era. If not for the 41-121 season produced by the White Sox in 2024, this season would have been the worst the league had seen in decades.
One may argue that records do not accurately reflect the true outcome of a season, especially for a team that is so far out of the playoffs. Oftentimes, Bill James’ Pythagorean Theorem of baseball can come to the rescue for those defending a season. This theorem states that a team’s expected winning percentage is the square of the team’s runs scored divided by the sum of the squares of runs scored and runs allowed. For example, through this methodology, teams such as the White Sox and Rangers should gain 10 whole wins this year.
Unfortunately, the Rockies do not see the same positive outlook through raw mathematics. It would be tough to do so in a season where the Rockies only won by a margin of five or more seven times and lost by a margin of ten or more also seven times. Crunching all the numbers together, the Rockies’ 597 runs scored (29th) and 1021 runs allowed (1st) places them at a .255 winning percentage, worse than their true mark of .265. Their run differential slots the Rockies to have only won 41 games this season, meaning that over the course of the 162-game season, the Rockies snagged an extra couple of games out of luck.
The aforementioned high amount of runs allowed is to be expected, as Coors Field is 5200 feet above sea level. The lack of run production, despite not being dead last, proved itself as a more substantial cause for inquiry. The Rockies hit 160 homers, which landed them 25th on the leaderboard. Breaking it down by home/away splits, 86 were hit at home and 74 on the road. A 1.16 home: away homer ratio is not the norm for a team constructed to play up a mile high. Besides a 1.13 ratio last year, 2025 was the lowest home/away homer ratio seen for the Rockies since posting 1.06 in 2009. As that 2009 team was one of only five rosters in franchise history to reach postseason play, a low ratio is not necessarily bad for Colorado’s chances at success. However, it is a sign that the lineup is not efficiently constructed for high altitude merchants, which, although it is typically considered a negative when analyzing specific players’ careers with respect to their legacy, helps their team if their team happens to play half their games, including potential playoff matchups, at Coors Field.
Players We Watched:
Despite plentiful shortcomings, the season was not all gloom and despair. Some individual standouts emerged from the team, none more than Hunter Goodman. The All-Star and Silver Slugger catcher took a big leap in his first year starting. Although Cal Raleigh stole the spotlight when it came to offensive production at the position, Goodman was not too far behind.
With the 4th-highest qualified wRC+ at the position, Goodman proved himself to be quite a competent offensive force. With the 14th highest BABIP of any qualified hitter, he demonstrated contact and gap power that was elite with respect to the league as a whole. His underlying mechanics are superb, not just his production stats. His average bat speed of 74.4 mph is in the 83rd percentile for all hitters, and his average exit velocity of 90.8 mph is the 66th percentile. Combining this with his 67th percentile framing, he could provide unheralded offensive production in a position that is frequently a black hole in the lineup. With just over two years of service time at the age of 26, he has room to grow with the Rockies for years to come.
Offseason Outlook:
The Rockies have a money problem. Normally, when large sums of money are spent, something is expected to be received in return. However, in the areas the Rockies spend, they do not see anything in return. Kris Bryant, on a $26 million AAV deal through 2028, only played in 11 games due to chronic injury issues, battling degenerative disc disease in his back. Antonio Sentazala, on a $10 million AAV deal through at least 2026 and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, had a career-worst season, being pushed to the bullpen by August. The moral of the story at hand is that the Rockies should avoid signing long-term contracts right now, as they are a lower-budget team and are eating approximately $36 million next year for players who might not contribute to the team at all.
As of the writing of this article, the Rockies have not signed or traded for any new players, nor have they re-signed any players who tested free agency. They are in a league of their own when it comes to not making moves. Despite how bland this may sound, it is most likely the right decision. With Sentazala being off the books next year, signing someone to a short-term deal might not be the worst idea to stay somewhat competitive, but until Bryant’s contract clears, offseasons to come will probably be reminiscent of this one.
One particular option for a signing would be Tommy Kahnle, a former Rockies player himself, for 102 innings in 2014 and 2015. An MLB veteran of over a decade, his main selling point for a return to Colorado would be his heavy changeup usage. Throwing that pitch 85.6% of the time, Kanhle’s profile allowed him to be in the upper quartile of pitchers with respect to groundball percentage, hard hit percentage, and average opponent exit velocity. This profile is especially suited for playing at Coors Field, as anything fast and in the air can end up beyond the outfield fence. Coming off a down-year with an ERA above 4, Kahnle’s contract price should not be hefty, especially at his age of 36.
Categories: 2025 Season Review, Analysis, Articles
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