Another disastrous season has passed for the Colorado Rockies. Yes, they avoided the humiliating title of earning the worst record in Major League history — that still belongs to the Chicago White Sox — but that doesn’t make their 2025 campaign look any better. They still managed to finish at the very bottom of the MLB standings with a brutal 43-119 overall record. A hideous record, indeed, but it’s certainly not the worst that has been seen.

Fortunately, their 2025 campaign is now behind them. The past can’t be changed, but their fate in 2026 is in their hands at this point. With plans for a better season next year, the Rockies have been busy in the offseason, as have many other ball clubs.

The potential is there, but there’s a surplus of doubts hovering over the franchise. Colorado has consistently had disappointing seasons in years prior, but it doesn’t necessarily have to stay that way. Could things turn around for the Rockies next year?

One of the many items to address during the offseason for any franchise is salary, where it landed this year and where it is expected to land in 2026. How is Colorado looking as it plans for its upcoming campaign?

A black and purple Colorado Rockies ball cap sitting on top of a tan baseball glove.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

According to Spotrac, the Rockies had a total payroll allocation amassing $125 million, landing them at No. 22 in the MLB Team Salary Payroll Tracker. Colorado may have had the worst record in the league this year, but their salary was above several other franchises. On the active 20-man roster, the Rockies had $60 million and $32 million on the injured list.

For 2026, Colorado’s projected total allocations land at $104 million. Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers hold the helm at the top of the 2026 payroll with approximately $240 million, followed by the New York Mets ($228 million) and the Atlanta Braves ($213 million).

A baseball player in a white uniform that says Colorado throwing a white baseball.

Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Although 2025 was a rather dreadful season for the Rockies, next year will be a fresh start with plenty of new opportunities to grow. They’ve potentially hit rock bottom, so now all they can do is work to transform themselves into a winning team that they can be proud of.

Colorado’s most pressing matter right now involves its ongoing search for a new front office and president of baseball operations. In a perfect world, the franchise will have every decision made and laid out in front of them right now, but making each adjustment within their organization will take time.