Rockies Showing Interest In Greg Holland

The Rockies have at least “checked in” with the representatives of free-agent righty Greg Holland, GM Jeff Bridich acknowledged to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. Bridich acknowledged only that show of interest, while noting that he expects most other organizations have done the same.

There are yet more intriguing suggestions, though, that Colorado’s interest is more serious. In particular, Drew Creasman of BSNDenver.com cites an unnamed source for the proposition that the Rox have made Holland an offer of a multi-year contract. Bridich declined to comment on that rumor in his discussion with Harding.

Needless to say, the connection between Holland and the Rockies isn’t terribly surprising. Colorado has been looking for ways to bolster its pen, with Bridich citing a possible need to take calculated gambles to do so. The team already placed a wager on lefty Mike Dunn, who landed a surprisingly large, three-year pact.

For his part, Holland is no doubt searching for a chance to regain his prior status as a premium late-inning arm. While there figure to be plenty of suitors, the Rockies might be one of relatively few teams that could conceivably offer him a ninth-inning job — though that’s far from certain, given the presence of Adam Ottavino and others. Contract value and role will no doubt be of primary importance, though presumably Holland will also need to weigh the risks of spending half his time pitching at the lofty altitude of Coors Field.

With the top three closers and several other premium relievers already off the market, attention figures to shift to Holland and others in earnest in the new year. The 31-year-old missed all of 2016 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and wasn’t himself in 2015 before going under the knife. Before that, though, he was one of the game’s very best relievers. From 2011 through 2014, he compiled a sterling 1.86 ERA with 12.6 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 over 256 1/3 innings.