Fansided

MLB Trade Rumors: 5 players Rockies should acquire

By Nicholas Ian Allen

May 31, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
May 31, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next

The Colorado Rockies are off to a terrific start in 2017, but five trade targets could help the club win its first ever World Series.

The Colorado Rockies lost 10-4 to the Seattle Mariners at Coors Field Tuesday night. The loss was the third in four games for the Rockies, and coupled with a 9-4 victory for the Dodgers in St. Louis (the sixth straight win for Los Angeles), Colorado dropped into second place in the NL West.

When the Rockies took the field the following night in Seattle, it was just the eighth time this season the team did so as anything but a first place squad.

While the Dodgers are understandably one of the favorites to win the World Series this year, the Rockies have been one of the best teams in baseball. With a record of 33-22, the Rockies sit in a tie with LA, the Diamondbacks and the Nationals for the most wins in the National League. Only the Houston Astros have more wins among American League teams.

There are plenty of reasons to believe the Rockies’ hot start is legitimate. Leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon is on an historic RBI pace, having hit .327/.364/.627 with 13 home runs, 11 doubles, a big league best eight triples and a major league leading 46 RBI through 54 games. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who led the NL in both home runs and RBI in each of the past two seasons, has 12 home runs and 34 RBI this year, and is arguably the best defensive third baseman in the league.

The infield as a whole is solid with first baseman Mark Reynolds hitting a surprising .313/.388/.555 with 13 homers and 44 RBI at first, former batting champion D.J. LeMahieu at second, and shortstop Trevor Story finally healthy and hitting .269/.367/.615 with two homers in eight games since his return from the DL May 24.

Carlos Gonzalez got off to a bad start, and top offseason acquisition Ian Desmond missed nearly all of April with a hand injury, but both should contribute at the plate this summer. Even the pitching staff has had success led by a trio of rookie starters and dominant new closer Greg Holland, who leads the majors with 19 saves and has a 1.37 ERA.

The team may be in second place as the calendar moves from May to June, but the Rockies are equipped to capitalize on their strong start and compete for the first postseason appearance for the franchise since 2009. With few needs and a strong farm system at their disposal, one or two well-timed trades could help Colorado become a legitimate World Series contender.

With that in mind, we explore five potential trade targets for the Rockies prior to the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

Needs

Ace

It’s always difficult to build a quality pitching staff in Colorado. The thin air and high altitude in Denver makes Coors Field a pitcher’s worst nightmare. Though the Rockies have tried to lure big-name free agents in the past (and notoriously succeeded in signing Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle in 2001) doing so has rarely worked out well for either the team or player.

However, as we learn more about what works at Coors Field though trial and error and advanced metrics, it’s possible there are pitchers with skillsets that would allow them to thrive. For instance, a high-strikeout, high-groundball combination would play well. Either way, adding a frontline starter to the rotation would only help matters.

Catcher

The weakest position on the Colorado depth chart is catcher, where Tony Wolters, Ryan Hanigan and Dustin Garneau have shared the playing time this season. Wolters, the primary starter, has been limited to 30 games because of a two-week stint on the DL in early May.

A 25-year-old second year player, Wolters has hit .287/.386/.368 in 101 plate appearances, without a home run and seven RBI. Hanigan has one home run in 11 games, and Garneau (now in the minors) had one homer in 22 games.

But, more importantly, despite positive ratings from FanGraphs, there is further evidence that each of the three has been poor defensively this season (more on that later). Making a trade for a catcher capable of improving things like framing, throwing and blocking would help the Rockies pitchers and defense as a whole – a worthy pursuit.

Starting rotation depth

The Rockies have relied on three very young starters as part of their rotation this season: 24-year-old Kyle Freeland and 22-year-olds Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez. All three have ERAs below 4.00, which is a terrific sign, but it’s highly unlikely that all three will be able to sustain their success for a full season. Jon Gray is expected to return to the mound in mid June, which will provide a boost, but adding a veteran starter for the stretch run would make a lot of sense.

Bench power

The Rockies have a solid lineup and decent bench, but the only thing missing is a slugger to call on to pinch hit in a big spot. It’s a luxury item, but adding a veteran to play that part-time role, especially one that would make opposing pitchers and managers nervous with the game on the line, would be great.

Assets

Baseball Prospectus Organizational Talent Ranking: 9

MLB.com Top 100 Prospects: 4

MLB.com Top 10 Prospects

  • Brendan Rodgers, IF
  • Jeff Hoffman, RHP
  • Riley Pint, RHP
  • Raimel Tapia, OF
  • Ryan Castellani, RHP
  • Ryan McMahon, 3B/1B
  • Peter Lambert, RHP
  • Tom Murphy, C
  • Dom Nunez, C
  • Forrest Wall, 2B/OF

The Rockies are in a unique position. The team has a solid lead in the Wild Card race, and there are no gaping holes on the roster to indicate they will fall apart down the stretch. However, Colorado also has a deep and talented farm system, including a handful of top prospects that are close to major league ready. Trade partners will have plenty of options to choose from.

Home/Colorado Rockies