The Colorado Rockies enter Tuesday’s matchup at Wrigley Field with a dismal 9–44 record that continues to spiral in what is quickly becoming one of the worst seasons in franchise—and possibly MLB—history. Their road struggles have been particularly glaring, as they’ve managed just three wins in 25 games away from Coors Field, getting outscored 117–41 in those 22 road losses, a stat that speaks volumes about both their offensive futility and their pitching instability. The Rockies’ most consistent performer has been outfielder Hunter Goodman, who leads the team with a .282 batting average and 7 home runs, providing one of the few reliable bats in a lineup that’s otherwise been alarmingly quiet and inefficient in run-producing opportunities. The rest of the offense has lacked cohesion, often going through prolonged scoring droughts and rarely stringing together the kind of rallies needed to compete against better pitching staffs. Injuries and underperformance have decimated both the starting rotation and the bullpen, forcing the Rockies to rely on a revolving door of unproven arms that have struggled to find the strike zone consistently or pitch deep into games. Their team ERA ranks among the worst in baseball, and defensive lapses have only made things worse, creating high-pressure innings for a pitching staff that already lacks margin for error.

With Bud Black having been dismissed earlier in the season, interim manager Warren Schaeffer has taken over and is now tasked with the difficult mission of keeping the clubhouse focused and using the remaining months as an extended tryout period for younger players and potential future contributors. The biggest challenge for the Rockies heading into Game 2 is simply competing at a level that keeps them in the game beyond the fifth or sixth inning—something that has proven rare, especially on the road. Offensively, they’ll need someone beyond Goodman to provide a spark, whether through aggressive baserunning, situational hitting, or capitalizing on any defensive miscues from Chicago. On the mound, whoever draws the start will need to set the tone early, avoid free passes, and hope the bullpen can hold a lead or keep a deficit manageable if it comes to that. Defensively, the Rockies cannot afford the kind of sloppy errors that have repeatedly turned close games into blowouts. Facing a red-hot Cubs team at Wrigley is one of the most daunting tasks in baseball right now, and Colorado must approach the game with clean execution, early aggression, and a determination to break their brutal road losing trend. While the playoffs are far out of the picture, every game remains an opportunity for the young core to prove they belong, and the coaching staff will be watching closely to see who responds with resilience amidst adversity. For the Rockies, a moral victory—such as a competitive, clean game or signs of progress from prospects—might be the more realistic goal Tuesday, but even those have been in short supply during a historically rough campaign.