Rockies fall to Braves 6-2 on June 13 as Germán Márquez struggles against Ronald Acuña Jr. With a 13-56 record, is the MLB Draft now the team's only hope?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a familiar story for the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Atlanta: a struggling starter, a silent offense, and another number added to the loss column. The 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Braves felt less like a single game and more like another symptom of a season gone sideways. As the club's record dropped to a painful 13-56, the focus for frustrated fans is understandably shifting from the daily box score to the long-term vision.
With a 13-56 record, the Rockies' most important upcoming date isn't the next game, but the MLB Draft.
The game itself unfolded in a depressingly predictable fashion. Starter Germán Márquez, who has battled all season, was tagged for five runs in just 4.1 innings, his ERA climbing to 7.00. The decisive blow came in the third inning, a three-run blast by Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. that put the game out of reach early. The Rockies' offense managed just five hits all night. While Ryan McMahon provided a spark with a two-run double in the sixth, it was too little, too late. The bullpen was a lone bright spot, allowing just one run over the final 3.2 innings, but the damage was already done.
In an effort to find any semblance of a spark, the Rockies continue to tinker with their lineup. Friday saw Hunter Goodman getting the start at catcher and recent call-up Keston Hiura at first base. With familiar faces like Brenton Doyle, Ryan McMahon, and a mix of newcomers including Mickey Moniak and Tyler Freeman, the batting order is a nightly experiment. While the versatility is a positive talking point, it's also a clear sign of a team searching for an identity and any source of consistent offensive production.
With the big-league rotation's collective struggles, all eyes are turning toward the farm system for potential reinforcements. The name generating the most buzz is 2023 first-round pick Chase Dollander. The right-hander is considered nearly MLB-ready and could be a candidate for a promotion later this season if the starting pitching woes continue. He's not alone, with other promising arms like Brody Brecht and Seth Halvorsen also developing in the minors. It's a sign that the organization knows it needs to build its next competitive core from within.
Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism lies in the upcoming 2025 MLB Draft. The Rockies are in a prime position to infuse their system with elite talent, holding the fourth overall pick and four selections within the top 80. Armed with the largest bonus pool in the division at $15.7 million, the front office has the flexibility and financial muscle to be aggressive. This is a massive opportunity to address organizational needs, from high-upside bats to the ever-elusive top-tier pitching, and lay a new foundation for the future.
Look, another loss is tough to swallow, and this 13-56 record is a heavy burden for fans to carry. The on-field product is struggling mightily, and there are no easy fixes. However, the future isn't entirely bleak. Between the promise of arms like Chase Dollander in the minors and a franchise-altering opportunity in the upcoming MLB Draft, the building blocks for a better tomorrow are being gathered. For now, we watch and wait, hoping the front office makes the most of its chance to inject real, high-impact talent into a system that desperately needs it.
