Ryan McMahon's homer gave the Rockies an early lead vs. the Braves on June 14, but a bullpen collapse led to a 12-4 loss after a Marcel Ozuna blast.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
For a few innings on a Friday night in Atlanta, it felt different. The Colorado Rockies, powered by a mammoth Ryan McMahon home run, jumped out to a 4-1 lead against the mighty Braves. There was energy, there were hits, there was even a highlight-reel catch. But as has been the story of this brutal 2025 season, the hope was fleeting, washed away by a late-game deluge that ended in a lopsided 12-4 defeat.
The loss dropped the Rockies to 6-29 on the road, tying the second-worst start away from home in franchise history.
The night started with a bang. Ryan McMahon unloaded on a pitch in the first inning for a two-run shot, giving the Rockies an immediate lead. They tacked on two more to build a 4-1 cushion, a rare position for the club this season. Even Orlando Arcia, in his first game back in Atlanta since being released by the Braves, got a warm ovation and promptly singled. But the good vibes evaporated in the later innings. The Braves chipped away, with Michael Harris II tying the game with a three-run homer off Jake Bird in the sixth. The final nail came in the seventh, when Victor Vodnik surrendered a go-ahead, three-run blast to Marcel Ozuna, opening the floodgates for a Braves rally.
Despite the lopsided final score, there were moments of individual brilliance. McMahon was the clear offensive star, going 3-for-4 and looking like the formidable slugger the Rockies need. In the outfield, rookie Jordan Beck provided the defensive play of the game, leaping at the wall in the seventh to rob Ronald Acuña Jr. of extra bases. In a season short on wins, plays like Beck's and nights like McMahon's are the victories fans have to cling to. Arcia's warm welcome back in Atlanta was another feel-good moment, a touch of class from the Braves fans for their former player.
This loss wasn't just another tick in the 'L' column; it was another step into the record books for all the wrong reasons. The team's overall record now stands at a staggering 13-56. They are on pace for one of the worst seasons in modern baseball history, a painful reality for a loyal fanbase. Their road woes are particularly stark, with a 6-29 record away from Coors Field that puts them in the company of the worst traveling teams the franchise has ever fielded. The numbers don't lie, and right now, they're painting a very bleak picture.
If you're looking for genuine, sustained hope, you have to look down on the farm. While the big-league club sputters, the minor league system is showing real signs of life. Shortstop Ryan Ritter had a May for the ages, leading all minor leaguers with 12 homers and a 1.363 OPS. He's joined by promising bats like third baseman Kyle Karros. On the mound, Gabriel Hughes is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and could be a much-needed reinforcement for the beleaguered pitching staff sooner rather than later. Lefty Sean Sullivan is another arm turning heads. This is the future, and right now, it's the brightest spot in the entire organization.
It's another tough pill to swallow, and no one is pretending this 2025 season is anything but a historic failure. But between the box score blowouts, there are stories worth watching. There's the power of McMahon, the athleticism of Beck, and the promise brewing in the farm system with players like Ritter and Hughes. The wins may not come this year, but the pieces for a future worth believing in are slowly being forged. We'll see if those glimmers can one day outshine the gloom.
