Rockies fall to Cardinals 8-3 on July 21, 2025, despite Hunter Goodman's HR. The loss is overshadowed by ace Germán Márquez landing on the injured list.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a classic case of one step forward, two steps back for the Colorado Rockies on Monday. While Hunter Goodman continued to mash, launching his 19th home run, the team fell 8-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals. The loss was compounded by even tougher news: ace Germán Márquez has been placed on the 15-day injured list, leaving a significant hole in the rotation.
'Hunter's been a bright spot for us all year. He keeps putting together quality at-bats.' - Manager Warren Schaeffer
The game itself was a familiar story at 20th and Blake. Starter Peter Lambert couldn't find his footing, surrendering five runs in just four innings, with a two-run double by former Rockie Paul Goldschmidt doing significant damage. Though Hunter Goodman's two-run blast provided a spark, the offense couldn't keep pace. A three-run homer by Nolan Gorman off reliever Justin Lawrence in the seventh sealed the deal, extending the Rockies' losing streak to two and dropping their record to a dismal 24-76.
The bigger blow came off the field. The Rockies announced that Germán Márquez is heading to the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation after leaving his last start early. 'We're going to be cautious with Germán,' said manager Warren Schaeffer, indicating further tests are coming. In his place, the team has recalled righty Noah Davis from Triple-A Albuquerque. Davis has been solid for the Isotopes, posting a 3.98 ERA, and will likely be thrust into the rotation later this week. Losing your ace is a gut punch in any season, but especially this one.
Amidst the struggles, there are reasons to keep watching. Hunter Goodman is chief among them. His 19th home run brings his RBI total to 57, both team-leading figures. His .281/.328/.529 slash line is a testament to his development into a legitimate power threat. Looking further ahead, the future got a little brighter. Thanks to the recent MLB Draft and the selection of shortstop Ethan Holliday, the Rockies' farm system jumped to No. 19 in Bleacher Report's latest rankings. With Holliday now ranked the No. 17 prospect in all of baseball, the talent pipeline is slowly but surely being restocked.
As the Rockies look to salvage the series against the Cardinals, the immediate challenge will be patching the rotation without Márquez. All eyes will be on Noah Davis when he gets his chance. But the rest of 2025 is about finding these bright spots—the relentless power of Hunter Goodman, the development of young arms, and the promise of top prospects like Ethan Holliday. The wins may be scarce, but the building blocks for a better tomorrow are starting to fall into place.
