Four and a half months — 137 days to be exact — after the Rockies lost their 119th game in the 2025 season finale, the Rockies begin reporting to spring training today.
It’s finally time for the Rockies
to start proving that they are no longer a team falling into a losing abyss, but instead a team with a plan to change the direction of the organization.
For manager Warren Schaeffer, this is his first time going into spring training as the man in charge. At Rockies Fest in January, he sounded more than ready for the challenge and has a plan to do it.
“We need to talk about winning all the time. We need to be able to feel it in the spring training clubhouse on day one,” Schaeffer said. “I mean, it’ll look completely different. — standards, expectations need to be risen. But there always, always has to be a focus on winning. Winning in the little things, winning that night, every night, winning championships. And that’s what we’re all here for.”
The “we” Schaeffer referred to is the mostly-new coaching staff and an overhauled front office led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta. Their work includes forming an organizational identity that ranges from who is drafted and to how players are developed to how analytics are used and strategies on the field.
Spring training will also provide the first glimpse of how the hiring decisions made by executive vice president Walker Monfort are panning out since he took the lead in the personnel searches. At Rockies Fest, Monfort’s new role in leadership was on full display. Dick Monfort, Rockies CEO and Walker’s father, stood to the side as Walker joined panels with the front office and with Rockies Hall of Famer Larry Walker. He said he believes it’s been a great offseason for the Rockies.
“We’re all very excited about the people that we brought on board. We’re excited about focusing more on our process, as it relates to player development, scouting, player acquisition,” Walker said. “But really, I think what we’re looking most forward to is seeing all these people in action.”
In addition to a new look behind the scenes, the change will also be evident on the field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Arizona. Going into spring training, the 40-man roster is far from being decided, let alone the Opening Day lineup. This spring training, there is an undeniable feeling that players have to earn their spots.
This is especially in the rotation as the Rockies have signed three new veteran starters in Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Jose Quintana. With struggles and injuries in 2025, the lack of depth in the starting staff forced prospects to be called up before they were ready and, it seemed like, without a solid plan for how to succeed.
The two signings this week of Sugano and Quintana certainly prove the Rockies believe some pitchers – possibly including Chase Dollander, Ryan Feltner, Tanner Gordon, McCade Brown, and Gabriel Hughes, either need more time and/or less pressure if they prove they do need another stint to work out their stuff in Triple-A Albuquerque.
For more on the rotation and bullpen battles, check out Skyler Timmins’s storylines to watch for pitchers and catchers.
Of course, battling for roster space has always been the case in spring training, but the competition of “winning the little things” that Schaeffer is focusing on will be pivotal in figuring out who makes the team.
The transforming organization is 43 days away from Opening Day on March 27 in Miami. On that day, we will see a starting lineup that has at least five different players.
First base, second base, third base, right field, and the Opening Day starting pitcher will all look different than they did in 2025. The Rockies started last season with four starters and called up Dollander for game No. 9. This year, they head into spring training — as long as Quintana clears his physical — with much more depth in the starting staff.
That’s exciting. That’s change in action before the action starts.
No one knows the struggle of the Rockies seven straight losing seasons more than Kyle Freeland. After posting an amazing 2.85 ERA with 17 wins in 2019, which was good enough to see Freeland finish No. 4 in NL Cy Young voting, his performance aligned with the Rockies freefall.
The only remaining starter from the 2017 and 2018 seasons when the Rockies last made it to the postseason, the lefty is now 32 years old. Born the same year the Rockies played their first game, he’s purple and black to his core.
At Rockies Fest, Freeland echoed Schaeffer’s words of being excited about a change that fans will be able to see on day one. Even as a veteran who could be set in his ways, Freeland is down for change in his form and pitch mix, as well as the structure and vibe on the field and in the clubhouse.
“I know Schaeff is going to shake things up. The business spring training is going to be different than what I’m used to, to what some of these guys are used to, and this organization is used to. So it’s one of those things that’s super exciting,” Freeland said. “It’s kind of a breath of fresh air that [with] new regime, new things are coming. It’s very exciting. I can’t wait to get to work down in Arizona with everyone down there.”
I am excited, too.
Rockies’ Ryan Feltner goes ‘caveman’ as he returns from injury-marred 2025 season | Denver Post ($)
In a great article on the pitcher who pitching coach Alon Leichman says, “has what it takes to be an All-Star in this league,” Patrick Saunders dives into how Ryan Feltner spent his offseason — mostly in the gym. Trying to diagnose why he’s struggled with injuries and taking out his anger in “caveman” style, Feltner got stronger and has a better plan to be a sustainable pitcher for the Rockies in 2026.
MLB spring training 2026: One player to watch on every team | ESPN.com
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez will have his eye on Chase Dollander to see how the heat-throwing, highly-touted prospect can respond after a challenging rookie season in 2025.
Rockies’ Chase Dollander could finally break out — here’s why | Sporting News
The hype around Dollander keeps growing.
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