The Colorado Rockies lost Kyle Freeland to the injured list before their seventh consecutive series loss and continued the worst start in franchise history.

Colorado moved to 5-17 with a split doubleheader on Sunday. A 2-1 walk-off win in the 10th inning started the day before a lopsided 10-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners ended it. Noah Davis also exited after he was called up to be the team’s 27th man, and the injuries that evaded the club early are coming quickly.

Here’s a breakdown of the losing series, and the moments that mattered most:

The Moment

Pitcher Luis Castillo has dominated the Rockies in his time with Seattle, and his strut off the mound of Coors Field on Saturday said as much.

The starter celebrated with a celebratory walk and one-knee fist pump after he struck out Nolan Jones to end his seventh and final inning. It was one of his nine, and he has thrown 18 consecutive scoreless frames against Colorado as a Mariner — his start in 2023 featured a perfect game that extended into the seventh inning before it was broken up.

“I think he located really well,” Jones said. “He located his fastball well but also kept his slider down. I think he did a good job executing his pitches.”

José Berrios started the trend in Toronto, and Aaron Nola spearheaded three dominant efforts from the Phillies staff. Castillo’s outing continued the Rockies’ struggles against top-flight arms. But they have also faltered against lesser pitchers.

Swings without contact are plaguing Colorado, and pitchers are taking advantage of it.

“It’s just the chase rate,” manager Bud Black said. “Statistically, we’re one of the teams in baseball that chases the most. We get a lot of breaking balls and we chase them. We’ve got to stop.”

Takeaways

Preseason projections had the Rockies and White Sox among the worst teams in 2024, and they’ve been proven right so far.

Both teams had fielding blunders hit social media this week, and fittingly so. The Rockies and White Sox are a combined 8-35 and at the bottom of each respective league because of it. Colorado’s 5-17 start is the worst in franchise history and has the team on pace for a record 125 losses.

The errors that plagued the Rockies to start the year returned against Seattle.

Sean Bouchard was the first victim and allowed multiple runs after he whiffed on a ball in right field. Ryan McMahon and Brenton Doyle, each among the best defenders at their positions, made uncharismatic mistakes in Saturday’s loss. Elehuris Montero was nearly called for obstruction at first on one play and overextended his range on another to steal away a routine grounder from Alan Trejo. He booted the ball and Colorado ended up without an out on the play, though it was changed from an error to a base hit after the game.

The team’s starting rotation ranks last in earned run average, and the bullpen isn’t far behind. The lineup has been unable to overcome the mistakes thanks to its problem with strikeouts — just a month removed from spring training where patience was the mission.

A turnaround is needed fast if Colorado hopes to avoid 100 losses. Each facet of the team has proven faulty outside of rare glimpses of hope.

What went right:

— A stomach bug has run through the Colorado clubhouse, but it was no match for Cal Quantrill on Sunday.

The Rockies’ No. 2 starter turned ace because of Kyle Freeland’s injury went six scoreless innings in the Game 1, 2-1 win, and did so through sickness. Between innings, he struggled through it, but rebounded quickly when he went back on the mound.

“(Cal was) throwing up in between innings, he battled,” manager Bud Black said. “A gritty performance. He made some pitches when he needed to. He pitched outstanding today.”

Quantrill has logged a quality start in three of his five starts since the Rockies acquired him in a trade this offseason. The latest lowered his earned run average to 4.33 despite five walks.

While Freeland nurses a left elbow strain, the Rockies need a stopper atop their rotation. Quantrill made his bid for the gig Sunday to start the doubleheader in winning fashion.

— Anthony Molina’s season started about as poorly as it could’ve been. He found his footing in Saturday’s loss.

He threw three clean frames in his first scoreless appearance since being taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Rockies. It proceeded 4 ⅓ innings in which he allowed 12 earned runs on 13 hits and four walks.

What went wrong:

— Fans aren’t often involved in a game’s outcome, but Sunday’s doubleheader broke the trend.

Jacob Stallings hit what looked to be a home run in the ninth inning of the Rockies’ 2-1 win in 10 innings. Instead, a fan reached over the left-field railing and interfered with the ball as Seattle outfielder Dylan Moore leaped to make a play.

After review, Stallings was called out, and the Rockies were sent to extra innings in a 0-0 tie.

“I was just kind of hoping for the best. I thought it might have been been a homer off the bat,” Stallings said. “I wasn’t really sure what was going on, I just saw the ball come back on the field. I thought it hit the fence or something.”

The league’s official rule reads, “When a spectator clearly prevents a fielder from catching a fly ball by reaching onto the field of play, the batter shall be ruled out.” Moore is given a right to the ball, even if it looks to be going over the fence.

— Noah Davis exited his relief appearance early and complained of pain behind his throwing shoulder.

His velocity dipped in his fourth inning, and catcher Elias Díaz made the trip to the mound to check. After discussions with Black, Díaz and a trainer, he quickly exited the outing and will undergo an MRI on Monday.

“I just started feeling a little bit of tightness in the back of my shoulder — pretty localized, doesn’t feel like something, at least right off the bat, feels huge,” Davis said. “It made it hard to go out there and throw at full speed.”

The ailment crept up between his third and fourth innings, and he lasted just three pitches before an early exit. The team also placed Kyle Freeland on the injured list this week and transferred Daniel Bard to the 60-day injured list with a season-ending injury to his right flexor tendon.

What’s up next:

— Colorado’s loaded early schedule continues with a four-game set against San Diego.

The Rockies will welcome the San Diego Padres, and former outfielder Jurickson Profar to Coors Field ahead of their trip to Mexico. They went 4-9 against San Diego last year as part of a 14-38 record against division opponents.

Game 1 … Rockies 2, Mariners 1 (10 innings)

What happened: Cal Quantrill battled through sickness to fire six scoreless innings, and his teammates rewarded him with perseverance in the 10th inning thanks to Ryan McMahon’s second walk-off hit this year.

On the mound: Quantrill worked through five walks and three hits to hold the Mariners scoreless across six innings. It lowered his ERA to 4.33 and was his third quality start in five tries. Jake Bird, Nick Mears and Justin Lawrence allowed one unearned run in the next four innings.

At the plate: McMahon’s second walk-off came on a single to drive in Charlie Blackmon. It was set up by Ezequiel Tovar’s run-scoring single to tie the game in the 10th at 1-1. It was part of three hits for the shortstop. Brenton Doyle and Jake Cave had two hits apiece.

Game 2 … Mariners 10, Rockies 2

What happened: The Mariners used J.P. Crawford’s bases-clearing triple as part of a six-run second inning to race past the Rockies in lopsided fashion.

On the mound: Peter Lambert made his first start since being added to the rotation and struggled. He allowed six earned runs on six hits and hit a pair of Mariners in his three innings. Noah Davis came in and allowed three more earned runs in his three innings before exiting in the seventh with an injury. Jalen Beeks and Tyler Kinley combined for three scoreless innings.

At the plate: Elias Díaz and Elehuris Montero had two hits apiece. Díaz’s first-inning double drove in Colorado’s lone runs. It only had six hits and two walks against four Seattle pitchers.

What’s next: San Diego Padres (RHP Dylan Cease, 2-1) at Colorado Rockies (LHP Austin Gomber, 0-1) at 6:40 p.m. on Monday at Coors Field (Rockies.TV).