The Rockies’ rising star joins the exclusive club with Larry Walker and Babe Ruth

The Colorado Rockies have had another miserable season. At 27 games under .500, the team has fallen to 22 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and 14.5 games behind in the race for the National League wild card.

Entering 2024, the Rockies had suffered five straight losing seasons, and the team is actually on pace to finish with an even worse record than the 59-103 loss they suffered during a disastrous 2023 season. Colorado has only made the playoffs twice in the last 14 years, and hasn’t advanced further than the NLDS in that time. In short, there wasn’t much reason for Rockies fans to celebrate.

However, Brenton Doyle is doing his best to change all that and offer a glimmer of hope for the future. The 26-year-old center fielder just accomplished something that only five other players in baseball history have done. Doyle collected 15 hits, 11 extra-base hits, six home runs, six walks and one stolen base in just eight games, according to Rockies Club Information on X.

Besides Doyle, only five members of the Hall of Fame – Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, Reggie Jackson and Larry Walker – have accomplished such a feat. This is an elite group.

During that incredible streak from July 1-9, Doyle hit an absurd .556/.636/1.407. He had five doubles, 11 RBIs, and seven runs scored. Unfortunately, his efforts could not lift the Rockies out of their slump, as the team only managed a 4-4 record during Doyle’s eight-game assault on the league’s pitchers.

Rockies player Brenton Doyle joins the exclusive club with offensive performance

In his second season in the major leagues, Doyle has hit 16 doubles and 13 home runs, scored 52 runs and stolen 20 bases in 87 games for the Rockies. With this streak, he raised his OPS+ to 120 and now has a real chance at a 20/20 season. Unfortunately, his efforts with the Rockies will be in vain. Even sadder, Doyle is under his club’s control until the 2030 season.

The last player to accomplish this epic eight-game streak before Doyle was Larry Walker, who accomplished it in 1997. That season, Walker had 208 hits, 99 extra-base hits, 33 steals and 49 home runs, leading the league. He won MVP, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards and made his second All-Star appearance.

Ruth accomplished the feat in 1921 and later became baseball’s all-time great with 59 home runs and 145 walks, while also having 204 hits, 119 extra-base hits and 17 steals. Gehrig accomplished the feat in 1927 and finished with 218 hits, 117 extra-base hits, 47 home runs, 109 walks and 10 stolen bases en route to the first of his two MVP awards.

Mays accomplished this feat twice in the 1958 season, amassing 208 hits, 73 extra-base hits, 78 walks and 31 steals (MLB-highs) while making his fifth of 24 career All-Star appearances. Jackson accomplished this feat an incredible four times in the 1969 season, amassing 151 hits, 86 extra-base hits, 47 home runs and 114 walks while making his first All-Star game.

While it’s too early to set up Doyle’s failure for Cooperstown, he has added an element of excitement for Rockies fans. And his recent offense was recognized by MLB.com when he was named NL Player of the Week on July 8. Doyle won the Gold Glove Award for his work at center during his rookie season last year. Perhaps he will be part of a Rockies revival that leads the team to victory in the NL West division for the first time in franchise history.