By the time the Colorado Rockies dropped a 21-0 blowout to the San Diego Padres on Saturday, Bud Black’s fate was no longer in doubt—it was overdue. The firing may have been announced Sunday, but the writing had been on the wall for years.
Black took over as Colorado’s manager in 2017 and led the Rockies to back-to-back postseason appearances in 2017 and 2018—the first such stretch in franchise history. But since that high point, the team never again cracked .500. From 2019 through his final game on Mother’s Day 2025, the Rockies posted losing records every season.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Black’s overall record in Colorado finishes at 544-690 (.441). His teams averaged just 68 wins per year over the last five full seasons. Colorado was on pace for far worse this year—just 29 wins—when the team finally made the move.
The Rockies’ struggles weren’t new, and they weren’t surprising. Entering Sunday, Colorado ranked last in Major League Baseball in run differential (-128), third-worst in OPS (.646), and second-worst in total runs scored (133). They gave up 10 or more runs in four straight games in one week.
Front Office Chaos Repeats Itself
Even amid Saturday’s historic blowout loss, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt gave Black a vote of confidence, telling the Denver Post, “I think our guys are still playing hard… I don’t think we are [at that point of firing Black].” One game later, Black was out. That kind of contradiction isn’t leadership. It’s scapegoating.
This isn’t just about results—it’s about accountability. Since Dick Monfort took over in 2000, the Rockies have had six winning seasons in a quarter-century. They’ve burned through managers, botched free-agent deals, and consistently failed to develop impact talent. The only thing consistent about the Rockies is the chaos.
Black Earned Respect—But Not Results
To his credit, Black got this team to the postseason in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018. That’s a miracle by Colorado standards. Since then, the wheels have fallen off—but only after the front office gutted the roster and never replaced the core.
So now third-base coach Warren Schaeffer gets the interim tag, and former manager Clint Hurdle steps in as interim bench coach. But don’t expect results until the Rockies do something radical: hold ownership and the front office to the same standard they held Bud Black to.
The Cycle Won’t End With One Firing
What made this 2025 especially damning wasn’t just the record—it was how the Rockies were losing. Players looked overwhelmed on both sides of the ball. The pitching staff had the worst ERA in baseball, routinely giving up crooked numbers before fans had settled into their seats. The offense was lifeless, ranking near the bottom in average, OPS, and home runs. Even fundamentals—baserunning, fielding, and situational hitting—were glaring. It wasn’t just a cold start; it was a full-scale implosion that suggested the team wasn’t merely underperforming—it was unprepared.
If this franchise wants to turn the page, it will take more than firing the guy filling out the lineup card. It will take blowing up the decision-making process that keeps leading to the same results. Rockies fans deserve better. But as long as Dick Monfort stays in charge and accountability stops at the manager’s office, the losses will keep coming—no matter who’s managing.
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