Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The last-place Rockies preparing for a potential trade deadline fire sale.
- Hunter Goodman could address a critical weakness for the first-place Yankees while giving Colorado more future pieces.
- The deal hinges on a mix of immediate production and long-term potential that could alter the playoff odds for both organizations.
Despite tangible improvement and a much better outlook than a year ago, the Colorado Rockies are still a distant last place in the NL West and trending toward another trade deadline fire sale. Perhaps their most valuable asset, should Colorado decide to trade him, is 26-year-old catcher Hunter Goodman, who's on track for his second All-Star berth.
The New York Yankees, meanwhile, are locked in a tight battle for first place with an upstart Tampa Bay Rays team. Few teams are as loaded offensively as the Yankees, but there is room to improve on the margins — and particularly at catcher, where Austin Wells is in the midst of the worst season of his career.
This Yankees-Rockies trade would send Hunter Goodman to the Bronx
New York acquires one of the most productive offensive catchers in the sport. The Rockies would undoubtedly target a marquee name from New York's farm system — right-handed fireballer Carlos Lagrange stands out as a dream target — but if the Yankees can put enough quality depth pieces on the table, the Rockies can probably bite the bullet.
Ben Hess does not generate the same buzz as a Lagrange, but he's on the MLB doorstep, with a durable 6-foot-5, 255-pound frame and a ton of spin in his arsenal. Luis Gil was AL Rookie of the Year in 2024. He has since struggled to maintain his standing in New York's pitching hierarchy, but there's a clearer path forward in Denver. Spencer Jones, meanwhile, can help Colorado replace Goodman's thump in the heart of the order.
Why the Yankees say yes
Goodman is on a heater right now, second in the National League with 25 home runs. He benefits from the friendly confines of Coors Field, no doubt, but the underlying metrics largely back up his production. Like other stars in New York, Goodman is going to strike out — a lot. When he does make contact, however, the baseball tends to travel.
Austin Wells is hitting .160 with a .510 OPS and 43 OPS+. He is straight up unplayable, but the Yankees are short on viable alternatives. Goodman turns a position of weakness into a bonafide, middle-order strength. The Yankees can always use another right-handed slugger to balance out the lineup, especially since Giancarlo Stanton (and this season, Aaron Judge) can't seem to stay healthy.
Goodman is due for mild regression in the months ahead, especially if he's traded out of Colorado's altitude, but he puts runs on the board, with an .854 OPS and 122 OPS+. He grades out as an average catcher defensively, so the baseline is high. It is exceedingly difficult to find catchers who can hit and field, much less do the former at a borderline elite level.
The Yankees will hope to shift Goodman's approach, hopefully increasing walks and decreasing strikeouts. But even as is, his flaws are not enough to derail his immense, explosive production. The Yankees' path to the World Series has always relied on out-slugging their opponents, and Goodman most certainly helps.
He's also under contract through the 2029 season, so this is a long-term solution.
Why the Rockies say yes
The Rockies are basically swapping a (flawed) All-Star for three potential contributors.
Ben Hess is the main prize. He throws his curveballs and sweepers with so much depth and deception. It's hard to imagine those won't be elite secondary offerings once his command develops. He can touch the high-90s with his fastball. He is not injury-free on his résumé, but Hess feels like he is built to throw a lot of innings sustainably in the majors.
Spencer Jones ain't half-bad as your No. 2 asset in a trade either. Much like Goodman, he generates massive, easy power and strikes out a lot. Jones is probably a bit less refined at 25 years old, and his Yankees debut has not gone quite to plan. He's hitting .226 with two home runs and a .679 OPS across 62 at-bats. That said, further development — and the thin air in Denver — could help him actualize his immense talent sooner than later.
The Rockies are pretty stuffed in the outfield right now, so Jones could face a similarly shrouded path to regular at-bats in 2026. That said, Colorado can find ways to get creative. Goodman already spends a fair amount of time in the DH slot; those reps immediately transfer to Jones. He can also move between the corner outfield and center field farely easily, so the Rockies can mix and match their outfield sluggers to maximize Jones' presence.
If he can turn into the type of 30- or 40-home run threat that Goodman offers at Coors, the Rockies will be extremely satisfied with the outcome of this trade.
Luis Gil is more of a wild card — he bombed out of the Yankees' rotation this year — but two solid seasons, including that Rookie of the Year bid in 2024, at least provide the blueprint for reclamation. Pitching at Coors is an unenviable task, but someone has to do it. Besides Chase Dollaner, who's hurt, there aren't a ton of arms to get excited about in Colorado. Gil would have a path to consistent starts and a chance to rediscover the velocity and deception that once made his fastball so unhittable.
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