5 players the Colorado Rockies can trade next to complete their tear-down

4. SP German Marquez

Marquez had a nice 2020 campaign while you probably weren’t looking, with a 3.75 ERA and solid rates (8.0 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 50.6 percent ground ball rate) as he made 13 starts (a major league-high) and pitched an NL-leading 81.2 innings. His strikeout rate was much higher in 2018 (10.6), but his ERA (3.77) was comparable to 2020.

Marquez throws his curveball 20-25 percent of the time, which in the thin air of Denver can be a problem. He is a legit 4-5 pitch pitcher (4-seam fastball, curveball, slider, sinker, changeup), though there is a case for him to ditch a fairly little-used changeup.

As is the case with any Rockies’ pitcher with any significant sample of work, Marquez’s home/road splits are drastic.

2020-Home: 5.68 ERA, six starts-38 innings
2020-Road: 2.06 ERA, seven starts-43.2 innings

Career-Home: 5.10 ERA
Career-Road: 3.51 ERA

Not too far after Arenado signed his big deal, Marquez and the Rockies came to terms on a five-year, $43 million deal. That has him under contract through 2023, with a $16 million option ($2.5 million buyout) for 2024. After this year’s $7.8 million salary, the numbers climb to eight figures.

A good, solid starting pitcher with years of contract control left, and who could be even better making half his starts anywhere else, is sure to appeal to other teams. The Rockies could get a solid return for Marquez, and teams may start calling.