The Colorado Rockies announced on Tuesday that they are keeping Bud Black, the franchise’s most successful manager, for another season following a sixth consecutive losing year.
The Rockies extended Black’s contract through 2025. This decision came just over a week after finishing a season where Colorado had a record of 61-101, the second-worst in baseball, only ahead of the Chicago White Sox (41-121). The team also mentioned that bullpen coach Reid Cornelius and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere will not return to the major league coaching staff.
“While our recent results on the field did not meet expectations, we believe this team is heading in the right direction with the growth of very talented young players,” Rockies senior vice president and general manager Bill Schmidt said in a statement.
“Our organization is committed to giving our fans the winning team that they deserve. We believe the foundation we’re building with our core roster and our farm system, along with Buddy’s skills, experience and knowledge are instrumental in achieving our goal of playing games in October.”
This season, Black and the Rockies focused on some promising younger players, including Ezequiel Tovar, Michael Toglia, and Brenton Doyle. They also have right-hander Chase Dollander, a first-round pick in 2023, and outfielder/third baseman Charlie Condon, the third-overall pick last June, ready to join the team.
Colorado hasn’t reached the postseason since 2018, when the team had a lineup that included Charlie Blackmon, who retired after this season, Carlos González, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and DJ LeMahieu.
The 67-year-old Black became the seventh manager in franchise history on Nov. 7, 2016. Known for his ability to connect with players, the former major league pitcher quickly improved a struggling team, achieving an 87-75 record in 2017 before losing in the NL wild-card game.
After a playoff run in 2018, the roster began to change. LeMahieu and González left as free agents before the 2019 season. In February 2021, there was a significant shift when Arenado was traded to St. Louis after disagreements with the front office. All-Star shortstop Story signed with Boston in 2022, leaving only Blackmon from what was once a strong core.
