5 players the Colorado Rockies can sell at the trade deadline

Gonzalez will gain 10-and-5 rights, and thus full no-trade protection, on July 19. After a mediocre 2017 campaign (.262, 14 home runs, 57 RBI and a .762 OPS over 534 plate appearances), it’s been more of the same so far this year (.274, eight home runs, 32 RBI and a .768 OPS over 256 plate appearances).

“CarGo” has shown some signs of life lately though, with a six-game hitting streak since the calendar flipped to July. That looks like good timing for the Rockies, with a cheap expiring contract ($5 million) to appeal to other teams.

American League teams could see Gonzalez as an option to DH, since he is still hitting right-handers well (.290 with an .835 OPS this year). It’s worth noting he’s a three-time Gold Glover, but the last of them came in 2013 and Baseball Reference’s Defensive WAR has never been all that complimentary of his work as an outfielder.

Colorado’s place in the standings may not, and probably should not, dictate a desire to trade Gonzalez. Even with a home run on Sunday, he is only a step above a slap hitter against left-handed pitching (.636 OPS this year), and he has not been much better away from Coors Field (three home runs, 20  RBI and a .650 OPS this season). Any team with even a passing interest in making a deal for Gonzalez has to be keenly aware of those two data points, which are nothing new.