Black agrees to one-year extension, will return for 9th season as Rox skipper

DENVER -- Bud Black has reached a one-year extension to return for his ninth season as the Rockies’ manager in 2025, the club announced on Tuesday morning.

The club also announced changes to the coaching staff, as assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere and bullpen coach Reid Cornelius are not returning in 2025.

Black, 67, managed in the postseason in 2017 and 2018, his first two seasons, which marked the first time the club had ever made consecutive playoff trips. But departures through trades and free agency of key players such as DJ LeMahieu, Nolan Arenado, Jon Gray and Tyler Anderson led to a total rebuild, with the last two seasons being the first 100-plus loss seasons in club history.

Black has a career mark of 537-657 in Colorado, having surpassed Clint Hurdle (534) for the most wins in franchise history during the end of this season.

Tuesday’s announcement of Black’s status came later than expected based on the team’s past practice. Black and the club had discussions before the season, but were in no hurry to complete a deal. Black came to Colorado under a three-year contract with a mutual option for a fourth year ahead of the 2017 season, signed a three-year extension through 2022, and reached one-year extensions before the ‘22 and ‘23 seasons to avoid having him manage in a contract year.

As this season continued, Black and the club decided to put off the contract issue until their postseason evaluation period.

After going 59-103 in 2023, the Rockies went 61-101 this year. However, the youth movement became nearly complete, with two second-year players, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle, becoming the team’s most productive players, while a club-record 12 players made their Major League debuts over the course of the season.

As the year progressed, Black expressed optimism to 2025, in part due to a group of hard-throwing young relievers -- Victor Vodnik, Angel Chivilli, Luis Peralta, Jeff Criswell, Jaden Hill and Seth Halvorsen among them -- and a starting staff that should be healthy after dealing with multiple injuries over the last two seasons. The Rockies also have a number of pitching prospects who should be pushing into the Major League picture in ‘25.

The offense, though, must improve, starting with making contact. The Rockies finished second in the Majors in strikeouts (1,617), were 15th in OPS (.704) and were 19th in OPS with runners in scoring position (.729), all losing figures for a team that plays at Coors Field.

The Rockies were held to a franchise-record three runs or fewer 37 times at home in 2024 (7-30 in those games). The previous high was 31 games in 2011. Because of the difference in atmosphere between home and road, the Rockies must play well at Coors; they went 37-44 at home in 2024.

Part of the issue was inexperience. Beyond Tovar and Doyle, first baseman Michael Toglia progressed in his first true season of regular playing time, and by season’s end the regular lineup featured as many as six first- or second-year players.

With Kris Bryant hoping to shake the injuries that have hampered the first three years of his seven-year, $182 million deal and Charlie Blackmon having retired after 14 years in Colorado, the Rockies will be seeking experience -- and, presumably, increased ability to make contact -- through trades and free agency this offseason.

Still, they need more consistent contact from key lineup figures like Tovar (200 strikeouts), Ryan McMahon (185) and Nolan Jones (30.6 strikeout rate in a slump- and injury-filled second full season). The need is for these players to mimic Doyle, who lowered his strikeout rate from 35 percent in 2023 to 25.4 in ‘24.