Kris Bryant Signing Doesn't Make Rockies Contenders in 2022

The Colorado Rockies are looking to build on last season’s disappointing 74-87 record. They finished fourth in the NL West and endured their third losing season in a row. The competition in the NL West is only getting better and the Rockies have to respond quickly if they hope to remain competitive in the near future. WynnBET Sportsbook has their season win total at 70 which suggests they don’t even reach the low bar they set last season. 

The Rockies made some positive moves this offseason, but any move would be an upgrade for this team. The big signing, which was a bit of a surprise to me, was that of Kris Bryant. For a team not expected to contend for anything, it is a bit confusing as to why they would offer Bryant the megadeal they did. Only two teams, the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates have worse odds to win the World Series. Signing Bryant did nothing to change this. 

It’s not as if the Rockies have no talent. Far from it actually. They still have Charlie Blackmon, C.J. Cron, Elias Diaz, and Brendan Rodgers are still on the roster. However, fan-favorite slugger Trevor Story is now on the Boston Red Sox. It doesn’t help that the Rockies play in an NL West that also features the LA Dodgers, SF Giants, and SD Padres. All those teams are expected to be much better than the Rockies. 

At least they have a solid rotation with a lot of guys in their prime. I think this will be the area of the team that makes or breaks them. And by “making” it, I mean Colorado maybe sneaks into a Wild Card spot. We’re looking for 71 wins here people, not miracles. 

The one area that worries me a lot is the Rockies' .217 batting average last year on the road. It marks the lowest by a club over the course of a full season since 1972. I am hoping that Bryant and the rest of the offense get off to a hot start to the year to avoid this issue. 

I am leaning towards the over for the Rockies this year based on the fact that they can't have a worse season on the road on offense. I also expect a better performance from their rotation and bullpen overall.