Rockies off to worst 50-game start in modern era
The Colorado Rockies found yet another new low Thursday afternoon.
With their 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field, the Rockies fell to 8-42, marking the worst 50-game start in baseball's modern era (since 1901).
The 1904 Washington Senators held the previous 50-game record in the modern era, opening that season 9-41. Only one team - the 1895 Louisville Colonels - has ever endured a worse start than this year's Rockies, according to Champs Or Chumps.
Colorado's start is also worse than that of the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who went 9-41 out of the gate en route to a single-season loss record of 134 games. Thursday's defeat puts the Rockies on pace for 136, which would break the Spiders' 126-year-old mark.
| Team | 50-Game Record | Final Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1895 Louisville Colonels | 7-43 | 35-96 |
| 2025 Rockies | 8-42 | TBD |
| 1886 Washington Nationals | 9-41 | 28-92 |
| 1899 Cleveland Spiders | 9-41 | 20-134 |
| 1904 Washington Senators | 9-41 | 38-113 |
| 1897 St. Louis Browns | 10-40 | 29-102 |
| 2023 Athletics | 10-40 | 50-112 |
| 1932 Red Sox | 10-40 | 43-111 |
For additional perspective, the 2024 Chicago White Sox started 15-35 and finished with a modern-era record 121 losses.
The Rockies dropped to 1-9 since firing longtime manager Bud Black on May 11. They've now been shut out eight times in 2025, including a historic 21-0 defeat against San Diego on May 10.