Coors Field not the oasis it once was for Rox

DENVER --Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland followed what for him was the despairing path of Wil Myers’ third-inning rocket home run into the left-field seats, as if wondering what else could go wrong.

Turned out not much else. After 2 2/3 innings -- and seven runs on nine hits -- Freeland exited an eventual 13-6 loss to the Padres, and the Rockies said goodbye to a home season that was nowhere near good enough.

• Box score

The Rockies escaped 2022 with a 41-40 record at Coors Field, at least a plus in a season full of minuses that have them in last place in the National League West. But dig deeper, and even the home record is another on this year’s misery index.

In a 30-season history that has included just three seasons with a winning road record, the Rockies have to dominate at home. Never have they made the postseason without winning at least 46 home games in a full season. Even in shortened 1995, they won 44 of their 72 at brand-new Coors.

Let’s look at the numbers that must be better if the Rockies are to return to the contender status they last enjoyed in 2017 and ’18, when they made the postseason:

• Even with a winning home mark, the Rockies were outscored by 20 runs at Coors Field. An 11-8 record in one-run games pulled them over .500 at home for the 21st time in their 30 years.

• Freeland’s struggle left the Rockies starters’ ERA at 5.82. And while not the case Sunday, poor defense -- 54 errors, most at home since they committed 58 in 2016 -- was a drag on the pitching.

• The Rockies’ .283 home batting average ranked 26th in team history. Ryan McMahon’s third-inning homer -- his 19th, including 11 since Aug. 4 -- brought the team total to 98 at home, the third-fewest in club history and the fewest since 88 in 2013 (excluding the shortened 2020 season).

McMahon’s 439-foot drive off Mike Clevinger is a good place to start when discussing improving the home mark. Injuries that limited seven-year, $182 million signing Kris Bryant to 42 games -- 26 at home with no homers -- didn’t help.

“The teams that have won here, we’ve hit homers,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “… Homers are proven to help you win games. We have some projectable power, some raw power. That’s something you can point to for a Rockies team success.

“I’m talking about, of the 14 position players here on this team and a couple guys on the [injured] list, we’ve talked about power potential for this group. And we haven’t realized the numbers we can get to.”

Before Sunday, Freeland had pitched well lately, with five straight starts of five or more innings and two or fewer earned runs. Still, with a road trip left, Freeland (9-11, 4.69 ERA) and Germán Márquez (8-12, 5.15) need to be better.

“We haven’t struck out a lot of hitters out of the rotation, so the ball’s in play a lot,” Black said. “That went hand in hand with the frustration on the performance of the pitching staff, our defense. That has to improve.”

The Rockies called up first baseman Michael Toglia in August and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar this week. Both are seen as possible impact defenders. Toglia is playing occasionally in left field to accommodate veteran C.J. Cron, who has a team-high 29 homers and another year on his contract, but the optimal infield includes those two rookies.

McMahon has committed an unexpected 17 errors but, according to Statcast, entered Sunday at 8 outs above average (tied for third among third basemen in MLB). Second baseman Brendan Rodgers (currently out with a left hamstring injury) leads all Major Leaguers in defensive runs saved at 22, according to Fangraphs.

It would take a lot to surpass the “Coors Shield” infields of the past, which featured Gold Glovers in Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu, Troy Tulowitzki and (after Tulo) Trevor Story, but developing better defense is of high importance. With Coors Field games tending toward high scores, the goal is not only to avoid giving away outs with misplays but gaining some through impact plays and double plays.

So a little of everything needs to improve, especially at home.

“There are a lot of teams -- and you can throw us into that group -- that have talent,” Black said. “And if we have a lot of guys have good years, good things are going to happen.”