When the calendar flips to September on Tuesday, all eyes will be on just how far the climb has gotten the Rockies this season.

The franchise has embraced the mantra of “here for the climb” this year as the team tries to build toward a future where September play leads to a Rocktober berth. However, that won’t be this season.

But just because there isn’t a spot in the postseason on the line this year doesn’t mean that September baseball for the Rockies isn’t meaningful. This is a franchise that still has plenty of questions to answer before the final pitch of the 2026 season is thrown.

Can the Rockies avoid 100 losses?

This is perhaps the most asked question of all and the one that most fans will be keeping an eye on as the season winds down.

Here’s how the last bits of the Rockies schedule break down:

After a gut-punch 2-1 loss in Atlanta on Saturday, the Rockies have 26 games left in the regular season (two in August and 24 in September). Heading into Sunday’s series finale with the Braves, Colorado is 52-84 on the year, meaning they must win 11 of the final 26 games to avoid 100 losses for the fourth consecutive season.

Colorado opens a six-game homestand on Monday with Baltimore and St. Louis coming to town. That’s part of a very home-friendly schedule for the Rockies to end the season, with 15 games at 20^th and Blake in the month.

Colorado’s nine games on the road this month will all be against teams still fighting for the postseason as the Rockies visit Detroit, the Bronx to face the Yankees and the South Side of Chicago to meet the White Sox.

Are there 11 wins in the final stretch? There are, but it will come down to how well the Rockies play at Coors Field that will determine if they can avoid 100 losses. Colorado is 27-38 at home this season and has been outscored 408-327. The Rockies will have to find a cure for that in September.

Is Jordan Beck really part of the future?

Drafted with the 38^th overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft, it’s been a disappointing season for Beck on multiple levels. Between injuries and time spent at Triple-A, Beck has just 128 at-bats for the Rockies this season and is hitting .203 with just one home run.

Beck has shown flashes of success in recent games, hitting .333 over his last 18 at-bats. However, he has also struck out in eight of those chances, so it’s been feast or famine.

With plenty of outfield choices and prospect Charlie Condon expected to make an impact in 2027 as well, is there really enough room for Beck on the roster? September is the chance for the 25-year-old outfielder to prove his case.

Can Ezequiel Tovar finish
on an upswing?

Speaking of disappointing seasons, Tovar’s production has been one of the biggest downers for Colorado this season. However, like Beck, he is showing signs of picking things up as the final month approaches.

After shining for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, Tovar’s regular-season performance dipped dramatically. His .209 overall batting average was hampered greatly by a .145 showing in 21 July games.

August, however, has been much better, with Tovar batting .295 in the month and posting a .791 OPS. Those are both highs for any month this season for the 25-year-old shortstop.

There is little question that Tovar is still seen as a key piece of Colorado’s future. He’s signed through the 2030 season so there’s little chance that the Rockies will pull the plug on Tovar. However, a strong September to back up what he has put together in August will be reassuring.

How will the Rockies manage
starting pitching innings?

Currently on the shelf with injuries, veteran starters Jose Quintana and Kyle Freeland are expected to be back in September and could contribute to the Rockies rotation. However, it’s a question of how much either is a part of the future in Denver.

Would the Rockies benefit more from having young starters like Mason Adams and Gabriel Hughes pitch to get a deeper look at them heading into 2027 than inserting the veterans back into the rotation?

How long will the leash be for Ryan Feltner, who has posted an 8.91 ERA over his last seven starts?

What about Tomoyuki Sugano, who has arguably been Colorado’s best starter this season? Will the Rockies see enough from him in September to cement a return to Colorado in 2027?

With just 24 games in September, how the Rockies split innings to help answer rotation questions could be a sign of what to expect from starters in 2027.