Blowout: Bees, weather sting Isotopes' home opener
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Mother Nature was clearly not an Isotopes fan Tuesday.
Opening-day banners fluttered in the grandstands while flags above right field were starched by stiff 32 mph winds pushing them East toward the dust-obscured Sandia Mountains.
Such was the backdrop for Opening Day as the Isotopes hosted Salt Lake for the season鈥檚 first home game.
Did the weather have an impact? Sure.
Fly balls were an adventure though none sailed over the fence during the Isotopes鈥� unsightly 15-1 loss to the Bees. And a crowd announced at 4,398 was undoubtedly smaller than it would have been on a warmer (and calmer) night.
But a little wind 鈥� or a lot 鈥� was not enough to deter the Bees or a hearty group of Isotopes fans hungry for opening-day baseball. Hundreds lined up early outside in the blustery conditions, waiting for the season鈥檚 first pitch and eager to grab the evening鈥檚 free swag, Orbit beanies that would come in handy before the game鈥檚 final out.
Temperature at first pitch was 51 degrees without accounting for wind chill.
It was the third-coldest home opener in club history.
鈥淥bviously not ideal weather,鈥� said Isotopes GM John Traub, who was celebrating his 22nd opening day in Albuquerque and 38th in Minor League Baseball overall. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 always an exciting day, the culmination of a ton of work done in the offseason and a feeling of renewal. Hope springs eternal with the team, too, and I feel like there鈥檚 reason for optimism this year.鈥�
It may not have been evident Tuesday, but one reason for optimism is talent. The Isotopes鈥� roster features nine of the parent club Colorado Rockies鈥� top 30 prospects according to . Among them are No. 1 prospect Chase Dollander and outfielder Zac Veen, both of whom were excited for Tuesday鈥檚 home opener.
Veen appeared in 21 games with Albuquerque last season and felt good about starting the 2025 season with the Rockies鈥� Triple-A club.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really cool spot, so close to the big leagues,鈥� Veen said. 鈥淎nd this is a good time to be here. We have a lot of good players, electric players. I think the fans have a lot to look forward to.鈥�
Albuquerque fans will have to wait until Saturday to see Dollander, who made his Isotopes debut Sunday in Sacramento. Dollander tossed four shutout innings with five strikeouts and he smile when asked about Isotopes Park鈥檚 well-deserved reputation as a tough place to pitch.
鈥淵eah, I鈥檝e heard it鈥檚 a hitter鈥檚 park,鈥� Dollander said, 鈥渨ith the altitude and you can probably hear the wind through the microphones right now. I鈥檓 just going to approach it like pitching anywhere else: Execute my pitches and control what I can control.鈥�
Like Veen, Dollander is looking forward to playing in an environment that is similar in many respects to Coors Field in Denver. He鈥檚 also aware the Isotopes led the Pacific Coast League in home attendance last season despite finishing with the PCL鈥檚 worst overall record.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the crowds here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope they come out in numbers and pack the house.鈥�
Traub also hopes the pieces come together for the 鈥楾opes in 2025. He鈥檚 confident that fans will turn out for the club鈥檚 various promotions and the pleasant experience a night at Isotopes Park typically provides. But Traub would like nothing better than to get a little help from aspects he can鈥檛 control 鈥� like the club鈥檚 on-field success and the weather.
People know the weather here is volatile, especially this time of year,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou just hope the weather鈥檚 consistently good once school gets out.鈥�
