Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The "Ranking" is an organizing principle that's drawn from Baseball Reference's WAR (rWAR). It's not something the staff debated. We'll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
For a while, it looked like the Colorado Rockies' two-time Gold Glove center fielder would become the face of the franchise, especially after a 2024 season in which his bat caught up to his stellar defensive work.
However, 2025 was a mixed message that saw Doyle struggling in the first half while finishing strong in the second.
The 2026 season was critical: It was his chance to show who he was as a player, that he could put both sides of his game together while staying healthy.
Instead, 2026 kicked off with more of the same. On May 19, in a game against the Rangers, Doyle injured himself making a diving play in the outfield .
Prior to getting hurt, Doyle had again struggled at the plate. In 43 games, he slashed .207/.279/.270 with one home run.
In late June, he started a rehab assignment, but that was short lived due to a groin injury. Eventually, however, Doyle was ready to return to action. Over the course of two separate rehab stints with Triple-A Albuquerque, he appeared in 11 games and batted .395/.447/.651, an indication that he was perhaps back on track.
Finally on July 31, just days before the MLB trade deadline, Doyle returned to the Rockies.
"It was probably the longest injury stint I've ever experienced in my baseball career," Doyle said.
However, things had changed in the Rockies outfield during his absence. Most notably, top prospect Cole Carrigg assumed Doyle's place in center field . While Carrigg lacked Doyle's defensive chops, he brought a versatility that Doyle lacked in addition to being a switch hitter.
Still, Doyle looked solid during his return. In seven plate appearances, he had two hits, including a double and an RBI.
But, it turns out, the Rockies had already decided on their new centerfielder. A few days later, Doyle was traded
to the AL Wild Card-winning Chicago White Sox.
Worth noting, the White Sox have primarily used Doyle in a platoon role and as a defensive specialist. His OPS with the Rockies was .569 (51 OPS+) in 129 plate appearances. With the White Sox, those numbers improved to .720 OPS+ (98 OPS+) in 94 plate appearances. Those changes were surely the result of several factors: getting healthy; being used in a platoon role that gave him a better chance to succeed; and leaving the demands of baseball at elevation.
Still, for Rockies fans, the end of the #DoyleRules Era is bittersweet. Doyle spent his time on some miserable Rockies teams, but his defensive gems were always a highlight for fans.
When asked what his secret was to playing Gold-Glove defense in the most-challenging ballpark in MLB, Doyle said , "It's no secret, really. It's just a lot of hard work. I don't take practice out there very lightly when I'm trying to shag balls and get reads. I actually look at it as an advantage, being able to play at Coors Field for every single home game, just because it, honestly, makes other fields and other stadiums seem even smaller and allows me to cover more ground."
The hard work showed.
However, Doyle lacked offensive consistency, and between the 2025-2026 seasons, he'd begun to lose playing time to injuries. Surely Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes considered those factors before deciding to cast their lot with Carrigg.
That said, those Gold Glove and defensive highlight reels aren't going anywhere, and they will love long in the memories of Rockies fans.
Here's wishing Doyle a healthy and productive career with the White Sox.
It doesn't appear that he needs Rockies fans to raise a glass in his honor since he's raising plenty for himself these days.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Fewer ads
Create community posts
Comment on articles, community posts
Rec comments, community posts
New, improved notifications system!
Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android .
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you're commenting. Thanks!
