Rockies schedule two Spring Training games in Las Vegas, first time at Las Vegas Ballpark

Despite a lockout preventing typical Hot Stove League business during baseball’s offseason, the Colorado Rockies made an announcement on Friday that suggests a promising end is coming sooner than later.

Colorado will play the Arizona Diamondbacks for two Spring Training games on March 18 and 19 at Las Vegas Ballpark in Las Vegas, NV.

The pair of exhibition games will mark the fourth time the Rockies will embark upon Sin City during Spring Training, having previously visited in 2000 with games against the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland Athletics, in 2003 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and in 2009 against the Seattle Mariners.

Las Vegas Ballpark, constructed in 2019 and home to the Oakland Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas Aviators, will host Colorado for the first time. Previously, the Rockies played at Cashman Field, now home to the Division II Las Vegas Lights FC soccer club.

“We’re looking forward to bringing Rockies baseball to Las Vegas and to a fanbase that may not normally have the chance to see our club in person,” Rockies President / COO Greg Feasel said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to come back to Las Vegas to showcase Major League Baseball, and we are excited that the Rockies have the opportunity to be a part of this special event.”

Game times for what the Aviators are billing as Big League Weekend are tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 18 at 7:05 p.m. MT and Saturday, March 19 at 2:05 p.m. MT. Each affair will be a split-squad game for the Rockies, with the club also scheduled to play the Athletics on March 18 in Mesa, AZ and the Seattle Mariners on March 19 in Peoria, AZ.

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased beginning January 25 at 1:00 p.m. MT.

Diamond Details

New Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay added a familiar name to his coaching staff on Thursday.

Chris Cron, father of Rockies 1B C.J. Cron, was named the assistant hitting coach for the A’s this season after a spell with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021.

The Crons are one of only 249 father-son duos in major league history. And there’s also C.J.’s brother, Kevin, who played in 47 games for the Diamondbacks from 2019-20.

Chris is one only 17 big league fathers to have a pair of sons follow in his footsteps. (Also: Tom Gordon with sons Nick and Dee Strange-Gordon, Bob Boone with sons Aaron and Bret, and former Rockies’ coach Sandy Alomar with sons Roberto and Sandy Jr.)

Cron is the second familiar name to join Kostay’s staff after last week’s appointment of former Rockies’ farmhand Brad Ausmus as the bench coach.