Today is the day: Baseball is back in Denver.
Despite losing 119 games last season, when the Home Opener comes to the Mile High City, hope springs eternal.
After starting the season on a six-game road trip in Miami and Toronto, the Rockies (2-4) are hosting the Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) today at 2:10 p.m.
As always, LoDo will be hopping with a baseball buzz. Whether you’re going or will be watching on a screen, here’s all you need
to know about the Hope Opener.
Pregame Schedule
The festivities begin in earnest over five hours before the Rockies take the field against the Phillies. Here’s a glimpse of the official schedule:
7 a.m. — Gates open at McGregor Square
9 a.m. — Coors Field parking lots open; Opening Day games and activities for all ages begin at McGregor Square, including restaurants and bars opening
10:30 a.m. — Live DJ duo begins at McGregor Square
11:15 a.m. — Rockies batting practice
12 p.m. — Coors Field gates open.
12:20 p.m. — Phillies batting practice
1:15 p.m. — Pregame ceremonies begin, including three different ceremonial first pitches, team introductions, the presentation of the flag and the national anthem, flyover by F-16 Fighting Falcons and a presentation of Hunter Goodman’s 2025 Silver Slugger Award
2:08 p.m. — Rockies take the field, accompanied by fireworks
Getting to the Game
With traffic and a sold-out crowd expected, the Rockies recommend fans arrive at Coors Field at least one hour early and plan to be in their seats by 1:15 p.m. in order to take in all of the pregame ceremonies. There will be a heavy demand for parking downtown, whether it’s in Rockies lots or around LoDo. Be sure to plan and arrive early if you plan to watch from a seat at Coors Field or a bar stool. One perk of going early is that there are $3 beer specials on the Rooftop all the way up to first pitch.
In anticipation of high demand, RTD is increasing capacity to its D, E and W light rail lines through the weekend to support the Coors Field crowds, along with other events downtown (the Nuggets play at 1 p.m. on Saturday and the Avalanche play at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday).
All fans will receive a Rockies 2026 magnet upon entry. As a reminder, only single-pocket, medical and diaper bags that are no larger than 16”x16”x8” can be brought into the ballpark. For more on the policies, check out the Rockies website.
Going Downtown
Various Opening Day celebrations are on tap around downtown. There is an Opening Day Block Party at Union Station with games, stilt walkers, face painting, live music and more from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Larimer Square will be hosting its own Opening Day celebration with DJ sets, street art and family-friendly fun from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Dairy Block is offering Game Day on the Block festivities that include music, Rockies-themed food, including speciality cocktails and purple croissants, and even live music after the game. The Maven will be hosting Ember and Stitch, where fans can brand purple bandanas and baseball gloves. For more events, check out the Downtown Denver Partnership.
Sunny Weather
Earlier this week, the forecasts included the possibility of snow — just like the Rockies had on the Home Opener last year — but chances of moisture have since evaporated. It could still be chilly, especially with the big wind gusts, but the sun should be shining.
Last Year and All-Time
In the home opener last year, the Rockies lost a heartbreaker, falling 6-3 to the Athletics in 11 innings. Despite snow, a temperature of 37 degrees at first pitch and a 13-mph wind coming in from right field, 48,015 were on hand for the 3-hour, 21-minute game. Trailing 3-2 after seven innings, the Rockies evened it up when Jordan Beck hit an RBI single to send the game to extra innings. Seth Halvorsen threw a scoreless 10th before the A’s took advantage of a leadoff walk from Angel Chivilli when Jacob Wilson singled and Gio Urshela followed with a two-out double in a three-run frame.
All-time, the Rockies are 17-16 during their Home Openers. Colorado had won two Home Openers in a row and three out of their last four before falling to the A’s in 2025.
What’s New at Coors Field?
Always an exciting unveiling, the Rockies will have new menu items around Coors Field, including the Glizzilla, Birdcall, a pizza donut, the award-winning Key Lime Pie in the Sky beer at the Sandlot Brewery, and more. For all the details, check out Purple Row’s rundown from Renee Dechert.
This weekend, the field will look pretty slick with artistic lawnmowing feats on display.
Closing Thoughts
The Rockies made massive changes to the front office, coaching staff and roster this offseason. The 2026 climb at altitude starts today and comes on the heels of the Rockies winning a series 2-1 over the defending American League Champion Blue Jays on the road. While the turnaround might be slow and have its share of ups and downs, considering it took the Rockies over two months to win a series in 2025, the Rockies are making progress.
Are you going to the Home Opener? What’s your favorite part of this annual celebration? Any predictions for the game? Let us know in the comments.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 3, Reno Aces 1
Vimael Machín hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to help the Isotopes win their second game of the season. Zac Veen also added an RBI double for Albuquerque (2-4). Tanner Gordon put up a very impressive start, holding the Aces to one run on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in six innings. Luis Peralta, Collin Baumgartner and Seth Halvorsen each contributed a scoreless inning in the victory.
Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 7, Hartford Yard Goats 4
The Baysox scored four runs in the top of the eighth to break up a 3-3 tie and spoil Hartford’s opening day on Thursday night. The Yard Goats struck first when Benny Montgomery hit an RBI single in the fourth. Jake Brooks gave Hartford a fighting chance by throwing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts to start the game. After Chesapeake went up 3-1, Zach Kokoska hit a two-run homer to tie it up in the seventh. Braylen Wimmer hit a sac fly in the ninth, but Hartford’s last-ditch comeback fell short.
Rockies place José Quintana on IL, make other roster moves | Purple Row
The Rockies made some changes leading up to today’s game, including a shift to the starting rotation and an opening for when Mickey Moniak comes off the IL today.
Patrick Saunders highlights the great annual vibes of the Home Opener, along with his top moments on the field. The list is a great trip down memory lane, and it’s especially fun to remember the good pitching performances.
Troy Renck talked with Rockies greats Larry Walker, Aaron Cook and Jason Jennings about the pain of watching the Rockies struggles and the excitement of the new vibe of 2026.
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