Just one loss away from a fourth straight 100-loss season, the Colorado Rockies are stumbling down the stretch to close out the 2026 season. Manager Warren Schaeffer and his club will close out the season this week with a series at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks and a series against the Chicago White Sox this upcoming weekend in the Windy City.
After losing two of three to the Seattle Mariners over the weekend at Coors Field, Colorado is 57-99. Despite a fourth straight 100-loss season looming, strides have been made this season for the Rockies. However, starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano didn't hide his frustration with decisions that were made on Sunday against the Mariners.
Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel | Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Sugano, who signed last winter as a free agent from the Baltimore Orioles , was dealing against Seattle on Sunday. The 36-year-old right-hander went five innings, allowing just one hit, one run, walking two and striking out five. He threw 72 pitches but was replaced by Schaeffer, to his surprise.
"To be honest with you, I wanted to go longer," Sugano said through interpreter Yuto Sakurai, per Thomas Harding of MLB.com . "I wasn't aware that I was going up to five innings today, so it was a surprise to me. At minimum, I thought I could have gone seven, or gone to the mound for the seventh."
Well, that's certainly a quote. Sugano was replaced by Ryan Feltner , who went three innings, allowing just two hits and one run. Jimmy Herget worked a scoreless ninth for Colorado. However, it appears that there was a plan in place for Feltner to piggyback Sugano, but that seemed to be news to Sugano based on his quote.
After the final pitch is thrown in the 2026 season on Sunday afternoon in Chicago, there are going to be a lot of decisions to be made in the offseason by the president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, and his staff. Sugano , Jose Quintana and Kyle Freeland are all going to be free agents.
Feltner has struggled this season; there is no doubt about that. He is heading into his second year of arbitration, which means Colorado needs him to figure out his struggles, whether that's in the bullpen or as a starter. The Rockies are choosing the bullpen and the 30-year-old is shining in that role early on. He threw five scoreless innings, allowing three hits to the San Diego Padres last Tuesday.
When you're in the position Colorado is in, you're up for trying something new to end the season. Sugano was clearly frustrated after the game on Sunday, feeling he could have gone longer and maybe should have. It comes with the territory of being in a position that Colorado is in for a fourth straight season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rockies/onsi as Rockies Tomoyuki Sugano Doesn't Hide Frustration After Sunday Start Against Mariners .
