(Photo credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images)

The Colorado Rockies, with a new hitting coach on the bench, will try to end a six-game losing streak when they face the Washington Nationals on Friday in the opener of a three-game series in Denver.

Hensley Meulens was fired on Thursday, and Clint Hurdle takes over as the Rockies' hitting coach.

Colorado is limping home after losing all six games of its road trip through San Diego and Los Angeles. The Rockies rallied from a 7-1 deficit against the Dodgers on Wednesday night but still fell 8-7.

The Rockies, at 3-15, have the worst record in the majors. Their .220 batting average is fourth lowest in the National League, and they have struck out 195 times, the highest total in the NL.

That lack of production prompted the decision to replace Meulens with Hurdle, who had been serving as a special assistant to the general manager since 2021.

'This has been an incredibly frustrating and disappointing start to the season, especially offensively,' Colorado general manager Bill Schmidt said. 'While all of us share responsibility, I felt a change was necessary, and that a new voice was needed to give us the best chance to perform as we move forward in the season.'

Hurdle managed Colorado from 2002-09 and led the club to its only World Series appearance in 2007. He is taking over one of the youngest lineups in the majors.

Colorado's youth movement has been ongoing for a few seasons but has accelerated in 2025. Included in those ranks is the Rockies' scheduled Friday starter, Chase Dollander (1-1, 5.06 ERA).

The right-hander made his major league debut on April 6 when he got a win against the Athletics with five innings of four-run ball.

Dollander, who has never faced Washington, pitched better in his second start but took a loss when he allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings at San Diego on Saturday.

Left-hander MacKenzie Gore (1-2, 3.52 ERA) will start for the Nationals, who are 2-5 entering the last leg of their 10-game road trip.

Washington is coming off a contentious series against the Pirates. The Nationals lost three of the four games at Pittsburgh, including a 1-0 setback on Thursday with manager Dave Martinez was serving a one-game suspension after reliever Jorge Lopez was ejected from the Wednesday game for throwing near Andrew McCutchen's head.

Lopez was handed a three-game suspension but is appealing, so he will be available until his appeal is heard.

Gore has faced the Rockies three times (all starts), going 1-2 with a 11.68 ERA. Two of those outings came in Denver, where he is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA.

Washington won't have infielder Paul DeJong, who was placed on the injured list on Wednesday. DeJong was hit in the face with a pitch from Pittsburgh's Mitch Keller on Tuesday, and a night later Lopez's pitch sailed near McCuthen's head.

The Nationals, who have lost six of their last eight, will miss DeJong's presence.

'The way he's been playing third base over there has been awesome,' Martinez said. 'Hopefully it's a speedy recovery, everything goes well, we'll get him back as soon as possible.'

--Field Level Media