ESPN News Services
May 11, 2025, 06:05 PM ET
DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies, a day after losing by 21 runs to the San Diego Padres at Coors Field, fired manager Bud Black on Sunday.
The Rockies are off to a major league-worst 7-33 start even after defeating the Padres 9-3 on Sunday to salvage one game in the home series and snap an eight-game losing skid. Third-base coach Warren Schaeffer will serve as interim manager for the rest of the season, and hitting coach Clint Hurdle will be the interim bench coach.
The Rockies, who also fired bench coach Mike Redmond, will open a road trip Monday night against the Texas Rangers and try to turn a corner. Even with Sunday's victory, Colorado has the worst 40-game start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who were 6-34.
"Our play so far this season, especially coming off the last two seasons, has been unacceptable. Our fans deserve better, and we are capable of better," Rockies owner, chairman and CEO Dick Monfort said in a statement. "While we all share responsibility in how this season has played out, these changes are necessary. We will use the remainder of 2025 to improve where we can on the field and to evaluate all areas of our operation so we can properly turn the page into the next chapter of Rockies Baseball."
Black was in his ninth year as Rockies manager and had a career record with Colorado of 544-690. He is the winningest manager in franchise history.
Before Saturday night's 21-0 drubbing, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt backed Black, telling The Denver Post that he believed the season still could be turned around.
"I think our guys are still playing hard, and that's what I look at," Schmidt told the Post. "Guys are working hard every day; they come with energy, for the most part. I don't think we are [at that point of firing Black]. Guys still believe in what we are doing and where we are headed. We are all frustrated."
Schmidt said he was looking for "growth" as the season goes along.
"I feel for the fans; I feel for the people around here," he said. "I know we are better than we have played, but we are not good right now. We have to battle through it and get to the other side. There are still a lot of games left. I think we can turn it around, but it's going to take a whole group to do it. The guys are working to get better."
Colorado was 19.5 games out of first place in the NL West before Sunday's win. The Rockies have been outscored by 128 runs so far this season. The only team since 1900 with a worse run differential through 40 games was the 2023 Oakland Athletics (-144).
The seventh manager in team history, Black initially found success with Colorado when he led the Rockies to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and '18. They haven't finished with a winning record since and are coming off two straight 100-loss seasons. Colorado has a .353 winning percentage since 2023.
Black's contract was set to expire following the season. He signed a one-year extension in October.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
