Preparations for the 2024 season are well underway in Scottsdale, Arizona, at Salt River Fields, where the Colorado Rockies are gearing up during Spring Training for what hopes to be a better year than the last, and even the few before that.
If you're a Rockies fan, it's been tough sledding for a while watching this team. The team hasn't finished above .500 since 2018, the last year they made a postseason appearance. Minus making it to the NLDS that season and the Wild Card the year before, winning and postseason berths aren't a thing of normality in the downtown Denver area when it comes to baseball. For the past 13 years, only three times has Colorado not placed either fourth or fifth in the NL West.
Granted, it doesn't help that the Rockies have been a part of one of the tougher, talented divisions in the NL West, which has the always consistent, talent-loaded Los Angeles Dodgers, plus the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and even last year's surprise NL pennant winners, the Diamondbacks.
It's not looking much better in 2024 for the Rockies, who will again have to face their much more talented divisional opponents. However, the Diamondbacks proved that anything could happen. But we have to be at least a bit realistic here and realize where this team is currently at, bold predictions or not. So, here are some for the Rockies in 2024.
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Rockies will have one of the better defensive infields in the National League… mostly
Going back to last year, the Rockies had two infielders that placed in the top 25 in outs above average, per Baseball Savant. Those being shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, who was seventh, and third baseman Ryan McMahon, who was 22nd. Both got Gold Glove nods by doing so, which should only help their chances in 2024 should they continue to produce. But you can't forget about second baseman Brendan Rodgers as well, who won a Gold Glove in 2022 and almost pulled away with a Platinum Glove that season.
But the Rockies will also have back Nolan Jones, who essentially played in what seemed almost every position last year, including first base. Depending on what the Rockies decide to do with him, they may at least have that going for them. However…
Kris Bryant plays first base most of the 2024 season for the Rockies, plays in 120 games
It's likely that Jones probably spends most of his time in the outfield again this season, which means the Rockies will be putting Bryant back at first base again in 2024. The 32-year-old played the most at the position for the Rockies last season with 48 percent. With Rockies manager Bud Black most likely hoping to get the best out of what's left in Bryant's career, he'll probably be getting even more time there this year.
At this point, it will be whatever can help Bryant to get back on track and revive his career. Since joining the Rockies, he's been nothing like his former self that came from the Chicago Cubs. In fact, he's even heavily implied that he wished he would have considered his options better before signing with Colorado back in 2022.
This guy won a Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, and World Series title all within his first two years in the league. Then he goes to the Rockies. Talk about a culture shock.
But also, Bryant has to stay healthy and on the field to get back what looks like a Hall of Fame career. The last time he played in over 100 games was back in 2021 at 144. The past two seasons, he's played in a total of 124.
Kyle Freeland posts a sub-4.00 ERA
Last season was one of the worst in Rockies history for the whole team, but Kyle Freeland would much like to forget it as much as anybody. The ace of the team had a more or less abysmal second half of the season where things like injuries and run support hindered his production, ultimately leading to a 6-14 record with a 5.03 ERA in 29 starts. While it's still likely that run support could still be an issue, not to mention pitching in high altitude always being an issue for any Rockies pitcher, Freeland will look to bounce back and post his lowest ERA since 2018, where he went 17-7 with a 2.85.
Rockies won't be the worst team in baseball… but still not great
Again, last season was one to forget in Colorado. It was the first 100-loss season in Rockies history with 103 losses, finishing as one of the worst teams in all of baseball, as one of three teams to post 100 losses or more. If the Rockies can just stay healthy and put some of their young talent together, along with veterans like McMahon and Bryant, they can win enough games not to lose 100 or more again.
Baseball Prospectus has the Rockies projected to finish 57-105, the worst team in all of baseball in 2024. That honor will either be reserved for the Washington Nationals or the Oakland Athletics. The Rockies will stay under 100 losses in 2024. However, with that said, finding wins against the likes of their division opponents won't be easy.
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