Three Rockies things to watch, include Freeland vs. Giants rematch | Kevin’s Take
With stops in Seattle and San Francisco this week, the end of the 2025 Colorado Rockies season will have a distinct West Coast flavor to it.
The final few games also will have both ends of the excitement spectrum attached to them, with Seattle battling for the top of the American League West and needing a sweep over the Rockies to help cement their first division title since 2001. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, the Giants are simply playing out the schedule as any realistic chances for a wild card bid have evaporated.
Colorado, meanwhile, is stuck in a weird MLB purgatory. The Rockies have already ensured they won’t tally the most losses in modern baseball history, but every loss the rest of the way will add to what is already a franchise-record for defeats in a season.
The Rockies also can’t get to 50 wins this season, so there’s no round number that would serve as some kind of milestone motivation, either.
So what’s left to watch for the Rockies during the final week? Here are three things:
Moments on the mound
Tanner Gordon is expected to draw the start Wednesday in Seattle, and some of his best moments of the season have come against teams that are among MLB’s upper echelon. The 27-year-old right-hander has inserted himself squarely into the conversation for the 2026 rotation and has one more chance to solidify his spot, against the Mariners. However, he has a 7.50 ERA in five starts this season against AL teams.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tanner Gordon (29) in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)If you’re the sentimental type, German Marquez will likely make his final start with the Rockies on Friday in San Francisco. It will be the 200th career start for the pitcher who has thrown the third-most innings in Rockies history (1142.0 so far). However, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, many expect the 30-year-old right-hander to be in another uniform next year.
Finally, Kyle Freeland’s scheduled start on Saturday in San Francisco could be interesting. The last time he was on the mound against the Giants, benches cleared after Freeland and Rafael Devers exchanged words following a home run. Could any bad blood from their most recent encounter spill over to Oracle Park?
Will the wrong kind of history be made?
The Rockies won’t have the most losses in MLB history, but there are other numbers to watch that could write the 2025 Rockies into the record books in other ways.
Colorado entered Tuesday with 113 losses and could enter the five worst seasons in modern history with a few stumbles this week. The 2018 Baltimore Orioles and 1935 Boston Braves are tied for the fifth-most losses with 115 while the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics own the fourth-most with 117.
On the defensive side, heading into Tuesday, the Rockies had allowed 988 runs this season. The most allowed in franchise history were the 1,028 runs surrendered by the 1999 team.
This year’s Rockies team is giving up an average of 6.33 runs per game so that could put the 2025 squad right at the edge of breaking a franchise record no team wants to shatter.
The Rockies also entered Tuesday with a run differential of minus-404 this season. That’s the worst mark for any team in the last century-plus. The 1883 Philadelphia Quakers finished with a minus-424 run differential for the fifth-worst in baseball history, so the Rockies know the number to avoid if they don’t want to finish in the top five of all time.
Can Hunter Goodman join an exclusive club?
Colorado’s All-Star catcher has had a banner season, becoming the second primary catcher in the modern era (minimum 51% of games at catcher) to record at least 25 doubles, five triples and 30 home runs in a season. Additionally, his 30 homers, 144 hits, 61 extra-base hits and 88 RBI are all the most in a season for a Rockies primary catcher.
Colorado Rockies designated hitter Hunter Goodman signs a ball for a pair of young fans during the ceremonial walk around the field after the team won their final home baseball game, against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)With a pair of runs knocked in during this final road trip, Goodman can also become a part of an elite catching community. With two more RBI, the 25-year-old Goodman would become the sixth catcher in his age-25 season or younger with at least 30 home runs and 90 RBI. Also in that group is Rudy York (1937-38), Joe Torre (1966), Johnny Bench (1970 and 1972), Mike Piazza (1993) and Gary Sanchez (2017).
