The Colorado Rockies kicked off their second series of the 2025 season in the City of Brotherly Love against the defending National League East champion Philadelphia Phillies. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned as the Rockies were unable to seize victory despite a strong start from Germán Márquez.
Welcome back, Germán Márquez!
Finally healthy for the first time since early in the 2023 season, right-handed pitcher Germán Márquez made his triumphant return to the mound. Having not pitched since a brief outing before the All-Star Break in 2024, fans were unsure what to expect from the veteran rotational anchor.
Márquez pitched six shutout innings with four hits allowed, four strikeouts, and no walks for a Quality Start in his first outing of 2025. He located his pitches well but lacked the strikeout stuff we’re accustomed to for most of the game. However, he found his strikeouts when they mattered most. His highlight of the day came with runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Power threat Kyle Schwarber came to the plate looking to do damage. Márquez got Schwarber to chase a knuckle curve in the dirt for the strikeout.
The bullpen again
Germán Márquez saw his win erased in just one inning after he left the game. Veteran off-season acquisition Scott Alexander had two outs in the bag after a double play, but gave up a double and a walk to have the Phillies threatening. The Rockies went back to the bullpen and brought in Victor Vodnik. Vodnik gave up a two run double on a hanging slider to Phillies shortstop Edmundo Sosa to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. That was followed up by a two-run Kyle Schwarber home run to put the game out of reach from an anemic Rockies offense. The Phillies further padded their lead with back-to-back home runs from Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos in the bottom of the eighth inning with Bradley Blalock on the mound.
Where is the offense?
The Rockies have failed to score more than two runs in three of their first four games of 2025. The beginning of the season has been defined by an anemic, strikeout heavy offense and today was no exception. Rockies batters struck out 13 times against Phillies pitching, and they scored just one run despite having six hits and four walks.
Brenton Doyle had the most complete game of any Rockies batter, going 3-for-4 with a walk but failing to cross home plate while the batters behind him—Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon—failed to record a hit.
Hunter Goodman—batting in the cleanup spot—plated the Rockies’ lone run of the afternoon with a solo home run against Phillies starter Christopher Sánchez. It was the Rockies’ only extra base hit of the game.
Coming Up Next
The Rockies have a peculiar Tuesday off tomorrow before resuming their series against the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon. Kyle Freeland will take the mound against right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler. First pitch will be at 4:45 PM MDT.
