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Rockies Not Shying Away From Chance To Play Spoiler for National League Teams

Originally posted on Colorado Rockies on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 3:02 PM ET

The Colorado Rockies won't be playing postseason baseball this year, but they haven't mailed it in on the 2025 campaign just yet.

Driven by a motivation to not set the single-season record for losses, they are now just two wins away from surpassing that would-be status. For a young team that has relied upon many of their current and former top prospects to achieve that goal, getting to this point where they have inspired some confidence about what this could look like in the future is a great sign.

But once the Rockies win the two games they need to avoid making MLB history, it's fair to wonder what their motivation might look like. Already eliminated from the playoffs, it would be easy to shut things down mentally after such a frustrating year.

However, this Colorado group is motivated to impact the postseason race anyway they can during the final month of the campaign, embracing the role of playing spoiler.

Rockies Ready To Play Spoiler

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"I think we want to be tested," Hunter Goodman said, per Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post (subscription required). "And we have a chance to affect other teams' — winning teams' — seasons. I think that's a challenge we want."

The Rockies did that on Friday, beating the San Diego Padres, 3-0, in a result that had an impact on the NL West division race. Since the Los Angeles Dodgers have begun to struggle and lost their fourth straight game earlier in the day, the Padres could have made up some ground with them being just two games back from first place. But Colorado didn't let that happen.

Instead, Kyle Freeland tossed a gem in his first outing since being ejected following the skirmish with the San Francisco Giants. Goodman produced two out of the three runs with a solo homer in the third inning and an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, powering his team to a win.

ROX WIN! pic.twitter.com/ZQZmpkQtOA
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 6, 2025

"We have talked about the opportunity almost to feel what it's like to be in the playoff hunt," Mickey Moniak stated. "We have a chance to play spoiler."

The Rockies certainly will get that opportunity, with two more games against the Padres at home before they head out face Los Angeles for three and San Diego for three. Then, later in the month, Colorado will face the Seattle Mariners in a set that could have an impact on the AL playoff race before closing with a final matchup against the surging Giants.

With all four of those teams fighting for their playoff lives or a division title, the Rockies are going to get the playoff feel they are searching for to close this year.