The silver linings down the stretch of the 2026 Rockies season are getting harder and harder to find.
San Diego pummeled Colorado 9-2 on Thursday at Coors Field, wrapping up a series victory to begin the Rockies’ final homestand. The four-game series started with the Rockies losing their eighth straight game in an 8-7 Padres win on Monday. It ended with consecutive blowouts by the visitors after San Diego rolled to a 9-3 on Wednesday.
Between all that, Colorado won 9-3 on Tuesday as Cole Carrigg had a career night. The shortstop slugged his first multi-homer game, going 4-for-5 with two homers, a double, five RBIs and two runs. The second Rockies rookie switch-hitter to have a multi-homer game, Carrigg’s latter blast came in a 13-pitch at-bat. That made him only the second Colorado player to accomplish that feat after Todd Helton, who did it in 2000 and ’09.
Kyle Freeland made his return from the injured list on Tuesday, his first start since exiting the Dodgers game Aug. 19 due to a pinched nerve in his neck. Freeland, in perhaps his final weeks as a Rockie considering his impending free agency, allowed three runs in four innings.
But besides Tuesday’s victory, there was very little to write home about from this week’s series as the pair of Southern California teams in the National League West continue to embarrass Colorado.
San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth, back, throws over Colorado Rockies’ TJ Rumfield after forcing him out at second base on the front end of a double play hit into by Kyle Karros to end the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Tomoyuki Sugano (six earned runs in five innings on Monday), rookie Mason Adams (six in four-plus on Wednesday) and Tanner Gordon (seven in three on Thursday) all took turns getting lit up as the Colorado rotation continues to be abysmal. Rockies starters haven’t earned a winning decision in 20 games, going 0-9 with a 7.00 ERA in that stretch.
With Thursday’s win, the Padres — who currently sit in the third NL wild card spot — finished 11-2 against the Rockies this year. The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers — who clinched their fifth straight NL West title, and 13th in the past 14 seasons, by beating the Reds on Thursday — went 10-3 against Colorado this year.
Both teams are 21-5 against the Rockies over ’25 and ’26, so their combined mark of 42-10 during that span equals an absurd winning percentage of 81%. Even with Colorado’s improvement on offense from last year’s historically inept 119-loss season to this one — the club went from -3.1 offensive WAR in ’25 to 8.5 WAR in ’26 entering Thursday — the gap between the Rockies and the top teams in the division has arguably never been greater.
Colorado’s final home games are a three-game series against the Mariners this weekend, highlighted by the unveiling of the Todd Helton statue at 20th and Blake at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by three games against the Diamondbacks next Tuesday through Thursday.
The Rockies then conclude the season with a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox, who are battling with the Guardians for the American League Central title. Barring an incredible hot streak over the next 10 days, Colorado (56-97) is on the precipice of becoming the fifth franchise in MLB history to lose 100 games four seasons in a row.
Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.