The Colorado Rockies' new president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, and manager Warren Schaeffer addressed the team's direction in a Wednesday press conference. Following a franchise-record 119 losses in 2025, they emphasized blending institutional knowledge with fresh perspectives to build a winning culture. Schaeffer's retention as manager for 2026 highlights continuity amid changes.
The Colorado Rockies are navigating a period of transition as they prepare for the 2026 season after enduring 119 losses in 2025, the most in franchise history. Paul DePodesta, hired as president of baseball operations, joined Warren Schaeffer, announced as the permanent manager on Monday, for a press conference in Denver on Wednesday. DePodesta, bringing an outsider's view after the organization largely promoted internally in recent years, stressed a multipronged approach to turnaround the team by harmonizing strengths across roles.
DePodesta highlighted the value of institutional knowledge, stating, “I’ve witnessed a lot [in my career]... On the one hand, I’ve gone into a situation and realized that there’s institutional knowledge here that is hugely helpful, hugely important as a foundation going forward. And I’ve certainly found that here.” He praised Schaeffer, who has been with the Rockies for nearly 20 years, starting as a player in the farm system before coaching Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A affiliates and joining the major league staff.
Schaeffer served as interim manager after Bud Black's departure in May 2025, leading the team to a 36-86 record but showing stretches of improvement with the young roster. DePodesta lauded Schaeffer's collaborative style: “Not only is [Schaeffer] a connector, he places importance on collaboration... I think he’s a great teammate and partner.” Schaeffer expressed enthusiasm for partnering with DePodesta, noting, “I think the first thing you notice about Paul is he’s a process-oriented guy... putting legitimate processes into play that push this thing forward and that can create a sustainable winning culture -- because that’s the goal, to bring winning baseball back to Denver.”
With former general manager Bill Schmidt stepping down in October, DePodesta is evaluating candidates for that role and others, aiming to assemble complementary skills before the Winter Meetings on December 8 in Orlando. Schaeffer predicted optimism, saying, “The ultimate goal is to bring consistent winning seasons to this organization... You’re going to see winning baseball in Denver a lot sooner than you think.”