The Colorado Rockies dropped to 8-42 on Thursday following a 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, cementing the worst 50-game start to a season in Major League Baseball’s modern era.
Not since the 1895 Louisville Colonels, who began 7-43, has a team opened a season this poorly. The Rockies are now on pace to lose 136 games, which would surpass the all-time record of 134 defeats set by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. The 2024 Chicago White Sox set the modern-era mark last season with 121 losses.
Thursday’s defeat capped a four-game sweep at Coors Field and gave the Phillies their first-ever season sweep of at least seven games against Colorado. Philadelphia outscored the Rockies 27-12 over the series and has now won seven straight games and 11 of its last 12 on the road.
In a rare pitcher’s duel at altitude, Ranger Suárez and Germán Márquez traded zeroes deep into the game. Suárez (3-0) scattered six hits over six and two-thirds innings, walking three and striking out six. He exited after allowing a two-out double to Jordan Beck and a walk to Ezequiel Tovar in the seventh, but reliever Orion Kerkering ended the threat on a single pitch.
Jordan Romano worked the ninth for his sixth save.
Márquez (1-7) allowed two runs – only one earned – on four hits across seven innings, striking out five and walking two. Both runs came on RBI doubles: Bryce Harper drove in Bryson Stott in the fourth inning after a Tovar error, and Max Kepler plated Kyle Schwarber in the seventh.
The Rockies had several chances to score but went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Brenton Doyle tripled with one out in the second inning, but Colorado stranded him after two quick outs. The Rockies also left runners on first and third in the seventh.
It was Colorado’s eighth shutout of the season and fifth straight loss overall. They are 5-20 at home and have committed 45 errors – most in MLB through 50 games since the 2019 Seattle Mariners.
The Phillies improved to 32-18, the best 50-game record in the National League, and have now won four straight road series. They’ll continue their road trip Friday with a three-game set against the Oakland Athletics at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California.
The Rockies, who have not announced a starter for Friday’s opener against the visiting New York Yankees, will attempt to avoid further deepening their historic slide.
