Bold claim: the Colorado Rockies’ biggest offseason shift wasn’t a new signing, but a radical shift in leadership that signals a potential turning point for a franchise long mired in underperforming analytics and stagnant results. And this is the part most people miss: the hiring of a new president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, followed by bringing in former D-backs and Padres GM Josh Byrnes, marks a departure from the team’s traditional approaches and could redefine how they build and evaluate talent.
Introduction
Back in the early 1990s, when the Rockies were first established, it wasn’t unusual for an expansion club to run things the old-fashioned way. Fast forward to today, and most competitive franchises lean heavily on SABR- and data-driven methods for player development and acquisition. Yet under owners Dick and Charles Monfort, who have guided the franchise since 2005, the Rockies cultivated a reputation for lacking robust analytics—whether that meant no department at all or one that didn’t meet serious standards. This persisted even after the Moneyball era popularized data-driven baseball in 2003, and it’s widely seen as a fundamental competitive disadvantage.
The consequences have been stark. The Rockies have the worst winning percentage among active MLB franchises at â€.456â€, a history of just eight winning seasons, and no NL West titles. The latest drought extended through 2018 (a 91-71 season) and deepened through 2023 and 2024, when losses topped 100 games in each year. It wasn’t until the 2025 campaign—an infamous 119-loss season—that ownership finally enacted a meaningful organizational pivot.
The 2025 offseason brought a clear inflection point: appointing Paul DePodesta as president of baseball operations and hiring Josh Byrnes as general manager. While DePodesta hadn’t held a pro baseball role for nearly a decade (most recently serving as chief strategy officer for a notably underperforming Cleveland Browns organization in the NFL), the move was widely viewed as revolutionary for a team that had long resisted modernization. On screen, you may recall Jonah Hill’s Peter Brand from Moneyball as a composite character inspired by DePodesta; in real life, DePodesta’s leadership signals a serious attempt to implement strategy-driven decisions rather than relying on tradition alone.
Notable Acquisitions
- UTIL Willi Castro (Two years, $12.8M)
- SP Tomoyuki Sugano (One year, $5.1M)
- SP Michael Lorenzen (One year, $8M; ’27 Club option)
- SP Jose Quintana (One year, $6M)
- Claimed 1B Troy Johnston off waivers from the Marlins
- Claimed RHP Keegan Thompson off waivers from the Reds
- Acquired LHP Brennan Bernardino from the Red Sox for minor-league OF Braiden Ward
- Acquired 1B/2B Edouard Julien and RHP Pierson Ohl from the Twins for minor-league RHP Jace Kaminska and cash
- Selected RHP RJ Petit in the Rule 5 draft with the No. 1 pick
- Acquired OF Jake McCarthy from the Diamondbacks for minor-league RHP Josh Grosz
- Traded RHP Bradley Blalock to the Marlins for minor-league RHP Jake Brooks
- Traded RHP Angel Chivilli to the Yankees for minor-league 1B Toby Rumfield
Offseason Summary and Review
Even if the Rockies had pursued the top free-agent at every position, their on-field competitiveness would still hinge on broader organizational depth and development. The farm system remains top-heavy with limited breadth, and turning around a franchise without a recent winning season is an enormous challenge to achieve in a single offseason. As a longtime fan, it’s been a frustrating arc, and while I doubt there will be an immediate turnaround, there are promising signals from DePodesta and Byrnes’ early moves.
One notable under-the-radar move is claiming Troy Johnston off waivers. He isn’t known for prodigious power, but his career trajectory has similarities to Christian Walker’s rise with the Diamondbacks, suggesting a potential breakout at Coors Field with several years of team control ahead. T.J. Rumfield provides another first-base option, while Edouard Julien brings a solid bounce-back profile at second base.
The pitching puzzle remains the Rockies’ most significant challenge. The free-agent starters they added come from the bargain tier, but there appears to be a deliberate strategy: targeting pitchers with diverse repertoires to keep hitters guessing. RJ Petit, a Rule 5 pick, represents a cost-controlled, useful depth option who could grow into a reliable contributor.
Defense around the outfield also matters at Coors Field, where a large outfield can magnify defensive gaps. The addition of Jake McCarthy looks like a smart match for the park—he offers speed, baserunning aggression, and outfield range that could maximize the team’s defensive upside while helping offset aging veterans.
In a best-case scenario, the Rockies still project to finish last in the NL West and perhaps MLB as a whole. But the crucial takeaway for Rockies fans is the emergence of a clear path toward a more competitive future, driven by analytics-led decision making and strategic player acquisition.
Final thoughts
This offseason signals a fundamental rebirth of the Rockies’ approach. If DePodesta and Byrnes can sustain the emphasis on data-driven evaluations, balanced pitching development, and smarter bench construction, the franchise has a real chance to build toward consistent contention in the coming years. The question now is not whether they will struggle again, but whether their renewed framework can translate into measurable, sustained improvement. Do you believe this leadership change sets the Rockies on a durable course toward competitiveness, or do you think the risk of overhauling a deeply ingrained culture is too high? Share your thoughts in the comments.
