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Bud Black will return to manage the Colorado Rockies in 2025, the team announced on Tuesday.
Black and the Rockies agreed on another one-year extension after the team finished 61-101 in 2024, the worst record in the National League.
Black is 537-657 in eight seasons as Colorado manager, passing Clint Hurdle this season for most wins by a manager in franchise history. He led the Rockies to the postseason in his first two years at the helm, 2017 and 2018, the first time the franchise ever reached the playoffs in consecutive years. They have not had a winning season since then and are coming off consecutive 100-loss seasons.
“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 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.”
Black has been a Major League manager since 2007, spending his entire managerial career in the National League West. Before coming to Colorado, he spent eight full seasons with the San Diego Padres. They fired him midway through the 2015 season.
The Rockies also announced that bullpen coach Reid Cornelius and assistant hitting coach PJ Pilittere will not return next season.
Bud Black will lead the Rockies' youth movement
The Rockies' decision to bring their manager back despite consecutive 100-loss seasons signals exactly what Schmidt said in his statement: that ownership believes Black is the one to continue leading a rebuild.
12 players made their Major League debuts for Colorado this season, a club record. Its two most productive hitters by bWAR, Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar, are both second-year players. Tovar led the team with 26 home runs while Doyle hit 20 of his own, and 25-year-old first baseman Michael Toglia hit 25 as well. That provides some hope to a Rockies offense that had trouble scoring almost all year.
The pitching staff wasn't much better, but also holds some reasons for optimism. The Rockies had a 5.47 team ERA — by far the worst in the Majors. They do, however, have a stable of young arms that could develop into productive relievers. Victor Vodnik, Angel Chivilli, Luis Peralta, Jeff Criswell, Jaden Hill and Seth Halvorsen are all 25 years or younger.
With Charlie Blackmon retiring and Kris Bryant unable to stay on the field, look for Colorado to bring in another veteran or two to join Ryan McMahon in helping guide a young roster through a 2025 season that must show improvement if Black is to stick around even longer.
