Rockies opening series against Marlins will be a good measuring stick

Miami, initially projected to win 63-71 games in the 2025 season, ultimately achieved 79 wins, demonstrating competitiveness throughout the entire campaign.

Miami's 2024 season saw a record of 62-100. However, the team significantly improved in 2025, winning nearly 17 more games. This success can be attributed to the emergence of key players, including Kyle Stowers, Agustin Ramirez, Xavier Edwards, and Otto Lopez, among others.

Colorado will look to follow in those footsteps in 2026 after winning just 43 games in 2025, 18 fewer than their 61-101 record in 2024.

Since the front office changes with the hiring of Paul DePodesta (President of Baseball Operations) and Josh Byrnes (General Manager), Colorado's atmosphere and team vibe have shifted, as noted by multiple players.

They aggressively pursued free agency, adding a trio of veteran starters (Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana, Tomoyuki Sugano) to a previously weak starting rotation. They also added free agents Willi Castro and Edouard Julien, who can play multiple positions, and acquired TJ Rumfield and Jake McCarthy via trade.

Both Rumfield and McCarthy have had standout spring training performances.

Their three-game series against an up-and-coming Miami team will be a good test, even though it's early in the season, to see where this team stands.

Colorado believes they have a promising young core, featuring Hunter Goodman, Ezequiel Tovar, Jordan Beck, and Brenton Doyle. Manager Warren Schaeffer is particularly excited about Kyle Karros, a third baseman he believes has the potential to be a Gold Glove caliber player for years to come.

The Rockies will face one of the league's premier pitchers, in my opinion, in Sandy Alcantara, who posted a 3.33 ERA over 13 starts after the All-Star break last season.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024, Alcantara experienced some inconsistencies upon his return. However, he's now looking to expand his arsenal by incorporating a sweeper into his pitch mix, aiming to increase his strikeout rate.

Colorado will counter with southpaw Kyle Freeland, making his franchise-record fifth Opening Day start. Lorenzen and Quintana are expected to start games two and three, respectively.

Colorado made a surprising move by sending their No. 2 overall prospect, Chase Dollander, to the bullpen. Ryan Feltner will fill the fifth spot in the rotation. 

Dollander will be featured in a long-relief role, giving him the opportunity to throw to hitters in a lower-leverage situation while working on his mechanics.

Happy Opening Day! Here's to hoping for an improved and exciting Rockies season in 2026.