Rockies, focused on speed and grit, open home slate vs. Phillies

Colorado aims to avoid fourth straight 100-loss season as it hosts Philadelphia in home opener

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:22pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in bold colors depicting a baseball game or match, with sharp geometric shapes and planes overlapping to create a dynamic, cubist-inspired scene.The Rockies' new focus on speed and grit is on full display as they open their home slate against the Phillies in a cubist-inspired illustration.Denver Today

The Colorado Rockies, coming off a 43-119 campaign in 2025, are looking to start the 2026 season on a better note as they open their home schedule against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rockies have made changes to their roster and front office, focusing on speed and grit, and are hoping to avoid becoming the fifth MLB club to record four straight 100-loss seasons.

Why it matters

The Rockies' home opener against the Phillies is an important early-season matchup as Colorado tries to turn things around after a dismal 2025 season. The team's new focus on speed and grit could be a key factor in determining their success this year, and the home opener will be an early test of their new approach.

The details

The Rockies will send Michael Lorenzen (0-0, 6.23 ERA) to the mound against the Phillies' Aaron Nola (0-0, 5.40). Lorenzen, a veteran signed in the offseason, made his Rockies debut last weekend, allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings. The Rockies have emphasized being aggressive on the basepaths, with 10 stolen bases already this season. In their last game, a win over the reigning AL champion Blue Jays, the Rockies' strategy paid off when Jake McCarthy stole second and scored the tying run on a single.

  • The Rockies open their home schedule against the Phillies on Friday afternoon.
  • Colorado secured its first series victory of the season by taking two out of three games in Toronto earlier this week.

The players

Michael Lorenzen

A 34-year-old pitcher who signed a one-year deal with the Rockies in January to add veteran stability to their rotation.

Aaron Nola

The Phillies' starting pitcher, who is making his 12th career start against the Rockies and is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA in the previous 11 games.

Jake McCarthy

A Rockies player who stole second base and scored the tying run in the team's recent win over the Blue Jays, demonstrating their new focus on speed and aggression on the basepaths.

Warren Schaeffer

The Rockies' manager, who has emphasized the team's new strategy of playing with grit and being aggressive on the bases.

Justin Crawford

A rookie outfielder for the Phillies who made his MLB debut on Opening Day and has started the season strong, going 7-for-17 with a double and three runs scored.

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What they’re saying

“That's how we want to play. ... It's been a good start in terms of grit. We're trying to play like that every game.”

— Warren Schaeffer, Rockies manager

“It's gone by fast. I'm trying to enjoy it, but still also trying to stay focused each and every day to be ready to play.”

— Justin Crawford

What’s next

The Rockies will look to continue their strong start to the season and avoid becoming the fifth MLB club to record four straight 100-loss seasons. The home opener against the Phillies will be an early test of their new focus on speed and grit.

The takeaway

The Rockies' home opener against the Phillies will be an important early-season matchup as Colorado tries to turn things around after a dismal 2025 season. The team's new emphasis on speed and grit could be a key factor in determining their success this year, and the home opener will be an early indicator of whether their new approach is paying off.