Colorado Rockies Shock MLB with Record-Breaking 12-Run Comeback — What It Means for the 2025 Season

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies’ 2025 season hit a new low Saturday afternoon when a disastrous 10-run fifth inning sent the club spiraling to a 13-1 loss against the New York Yankees and a 9-43 record overall, the worst start in franchise history. Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, still searching for his first win, surrendered eight runs (four earned) on nine hits and three walks before exiting to a chorus of groans at Coors Field. A rushed throw that sailed past first base ignited the Yankees’ rally and epitomized Colorado’s season-long defensive miscues. “The game sped on me,” Freeland admitted afterward, calling the error “a pattern that snowballed”. Key takeaways from the Memorial Day weekend meltdown 1. Historically bad pace • At 9-43, the Rockies are tracking for the worst full-season record in modern MLB history. Only the 1962 Mets (40-120) posted a lower winning percentage across 162 games. • Colorado’s minus-179 run differential already exceeds the club’s entire 2024 mark and ranks last in the majors. 2. Offensive strikeout epidemic Hitting consultant Clint Hurdle noted there’s “not enough angst about striking out” after Colorado whiffed 15 times Friday and 12 more Saturday. The Rockies’ 29.4 % strikeout rate is second worst in baseball and a major reason the lineup ranks 30th in on-base percentage. 3. Warren Schaeffer’s uphill climb Interim manager Warren Schaeffer, promoted after Bud Black’s offseason retirement, has preached patience with a roster featuring seven rookies. “We can’t let one inning define our series,” he said, reminding reporters that Colorado still has a chance to win the three-game set in Sunday’s finale. 4. Bright spots amid the gloom • Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (.293 AVG) stretched his hitting streak to 14 games and stole his ninth base. • Rookie center fielder Jordan Beck owns a .512 slugging percentage since his May 1 debut, providing much-needed right-handed power at altitude. 5. What’s next? Colorado faces the Chicago Cubs for a four-game set beginning Monday before embarking on a 10-game West Coast swing. Front-office sources indicate that trade talks around veteran closer Daniel Bard and outfielder Kris Bryant could intensify once June opens and contenders solidify bullpen and bench needs. Path forward for Rockies fans The organization’s “Futility Tracker,” a fan-driven dashboard that chronicles franchise statistical lows, surpassed 1 million page views this week as supporters pivot from playoff dreams to prospect watch. Top pitching prospect Chase Dollander (2.12 ERA at Triple-A Albuquerque) is expected to debut before the All-Star break, while first baseman Yanquiel Fernández continues to post a .980 OPS in the Pacific Coast League. In the meantime, Coors Field promotions are doing the heavy lifting to keep turnstiles clicking. Sunday’s series finale features a Memorial Day fireworks rehearsal; the club has already sold more than 43,000 tickets despite the lopsided standings, underscoring Denver’s enduring appetite for baseball at altitude. If the Rockies are to avoid rewriting the wrong kind of record books, cleaner defense and contact-oriented at-bats must surface quickly. Otherwise, the 2025 season could be remembered less for rebuilding milestones and more for reaching depths no Colorado team — and few MLB teams — have ever explored.