The Colorado Rockies have officially relieved manager Bud Black of his duties following a 9-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. The team currently holds the worst record in Major League Baseball at 7-33. The decision to let go of Black comes after a series of disappointing performances where the Rockies not only lost games but were also soundly defeated, appearing overmatched on the field.
In a particularly rough stretch, the Rockies suffered a 21-0 loss to the Padres on Saturday, part of a week marked by their pitching staff allowing 10 or more runs in four consecutive games. Alongside Black, bench coach Mike Redmond, who had been with the Rockies throughout Black’s tenure, was also dismissed. Third base coach Warren Schaeffer has been appointed as the interim manager.
The Rockies currently have a dreadful -128 run differential, the worst in MLB, far surpassing the next team by 59 runs. The team’s struggling offense has been a significant factor in this statistic, as they rank second to last in runs scored (133) and possess the third-worst team batting average (.219) and OPS (.646).
This disappointing season places the Rockies on track for their seventh straight losing season, with a possibility of reaching 100 or more losses for the third time. The decision to let go of Black was made mere hours after general manager Bill Schmidt had expressed his support for the manager, claiming he believed the team could turn things around.
Schmidt himself may also be on the hot seat, as the Rockies face challenges not only on the field but also in their minor league system and contracts. Owner Dick Monfort has acknowledged the team’s poor performance, stating that changes were necessary to improve the situation and elevate the Rockies to a better level of play.
The Rockies earned a wild card spot and progressed to the divisional round in 2018. Nevertheless, in the subsequent six seasons, the Rockies never won more than 74 games.
