The needs have been the same for years when talking about the Colorado Rockies. Not much has changed yet. Pitching, whether starters or relievers, remains the biggest weakness.

The Rockies have made some notable changes on the management team along with organizational structure. Those moves are yielding good results, but not impressive enough to get past losing 100+ games for the past four consecutive seasons.

When you look at the World Series teams for 2026, you have to admit that money wasn’t the deciding factor. So, the argument that Colorado just needs to spend more may not be relevant. It would certainly help, but there’s a lot more to it.

Smart roster construction and effective pitching make a huge difference. That should be very interesting to a team sitting home watching the biggest games of the season.

It’s hard not to focus on Colorado’s record. I mean it was 58-104. That’s a lot of losses. Set that aside and let’s look at just the pitching stats.

The overall pitching crew finished with a 5.59 ERA, which also happens to be the worst in all of Major League Baseball.

So, it only makes sense that this team should be looking for pitchers - literally any way they can get them.

During this time of year, every team should be watching the rosters of the World Series to see what worked. For the Rockies, they should be taking an interest in pitchers, especially.

JoJo Romero Could Be Reliable Bullpen Option

According to the MLB free-agent list, there are going to be nine free agents coming off the World Series rosters. One of those is relief pitcher, JoJo Romero from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Of all of the free agents from the World Series, Romero could be the one that is most realistic for the Colorado Rockies.

Given that the Rockies need pitchers across the roster, adding a proven left-handed reliever makes a lot of sense toward moving to more consistency.

Romero appeared in 55 games for Milwaukee over their World Series run in 2026. The 30-year-old finished the regular season with a 3.36 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 1.22 WHIP across 56 1/3 innings of work.

He’s not the best reliever in the league, but he would be a good target for the Rockies to improve the roster without making a huge financial commitment.

Brandon Woodruff Possibility But Comes With Risk

Colorado should have significant financial flexibility coming into 2027, but that doesn’t mean they should be reckless.

Brandon Woodruff from the Brewers is also going to be entering free agency. He’s now 33 years old and has been battling injuries.

When he is healthy, he is effective. Over the 2026 campaign, he worked 45 1/3 innings, in which he produced a 2-2 record as a starting pitcher with a 2.98 ERA, 47 strikeouts, and a 0.84 WHIP.

The risk with Woodruff would not be whether or not he would be effective. The questions arise about availability. Recurring shoulder issues have repeatedly kept him on the sidelines.

The Rockies already have a terrible contract surrounding a player who can’t get or stay healthy. They don’t need another one.

If the team could carefully evaluate Woodruff’s medical conditions and outlook, a short-term agreement could make some sense.

The upside of having someone like Woodruff on the roster and in the rotation is obvious. But risking a long-term or expensive contract to a guy with recent and recurring injuries is something the team just can’t afford.

Rockies Offseason Decision Will Be Defining

To be very clear, no one knows what the Rockies will do in the offseason. Fans can only hope that president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta has learned enough about the team to make some significant moves that advance the organization toward more success.

The reality of it all, remains to be seen. Colorado needs pitchers who can add to the rebuild and move forward. Getting free agents to sign up to pitch in the monster named Coors Field is an entirely different story.

While the team is going to have significant money to spend, they still have to be smart about it. Pitching should be the priority. The World Series offers a chance to evaluate what works and what builds a successful baseball team without breaking the bank.

DePodesta’s path forward is one with a lot of twists and turns. All of us will be anxiously waiting to see which road he chooses.