Colorado Rockies: Taking a look at Bleacher Report’s 2018 predictions

On Friday, our friends and colleagues over at Bleacher Report released their projections for the 2018 season and they are very favorable to the Colorado Rockies.

The Colorado Rockies had an 87-75 record in 2017, which was good enough for the second National League Wild Card spot and third place in the National League.

This offseason, the Rockies have added closer Wade Davis, reliever Bryan Shaw, resigned reliever Jake McGee, and signed catcher Chris Iannetta for his second tenure with the team. However, they, at least as of now, will lose Mark Reynolds, Jonathan Lucroy, Greg Holland, Tyler Chatwood, Pat Neshek, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Hanigan, and Alexi Amarista (you can argue on whether the latter two are really losses).

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Even with the losses, Bleacher Report predicts that the Rockies will go 91-71, a six game improvement on the 2017 season. In addition, they believe that the Rockies will leap over the Arizona Diamondbacks and be in second place in the National League West and get the first National League Wild Card spot.

Here’s what their predictions look like for the National League West.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 99-63

Colorado Rockies: 91-71

Arizona Diamondbacks: 89-73

San Francisco Giants: 80-82

San Diego Padres: 65-97

It should be noted, though, that with the rest of the standings for the National League, the Diamondbacks would still win the second Wild Card spot by two games over the St. Louis Cardinals, who Bleacher Report predicts will go 87-75.

So, if the Bleacher Report predictions were to hold true, the Rockies and Diamondbacks would be facing each other in the National League Wild Card game, but this time, it would be in Coors Field.

Final Thoughts

Given that it is early February and Spring Training hasn’t even started yet, it’s a bit hasty to predict standings, especially when there are so many free agents still on the market.

Next: We take a look at some potential batting order tweaks

However, Bleacher Report takes a much more favorable view of the Rockies than most prediction websites have taken thus far.