Any drama surrounding a slow start and Bud Black's managerial status lost traction on Wednesday before the Colorado Rockies' first spring practice.
Black told reporters in Scottsdale that he has signed a one-year contract extension through the 2024 season. Simply put, he's not entering this spring a lame duck coach, always a difficult spot and particularly when a team has struggled the previous year.
"Before anybody asks me about, ‘Hey, this is the last year of the contract,’ we can put that to rest. I signed an extension,” Black said.
Black talked with owner Dick Monfort and general manager Bill Schmidt last month, agreeing to add a year to his deal just as he did last season.
Black helped make the Rockies contenders when he took over, leading Colorado to its first-ever back-to-back playoff berths in 2017-2018. However, the Rockies have posted four straight losing seasons. They bottomed out last season, posting a 68-94 record, and are picked to finish last in the National League West this season.
