The Rockies are “aggressively pursuing” Kris Bryant, tweets Jon Heyman of the MLB Network. Nick Groke and Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported this afternoon (on Twitter) that Colorado’s interest in Bryant was continuing.
This isn’t the first time the Rox have been tied to Bryant. They were reported to have interest in his services just before the lockout, but today’s link between the two sides reinforces that the club is actively involved in the pursuit a few months later. The Rockies have been known to be searching for offense, with a big bat to add to the outfield the primary target.
They’ve also been linked to Kyle Schwarber and Michael Conforto (although later reports threw some cold water on the possibility of Conforto winding up in Denver). Thomas Harding of MLB.com tweets that Schwarber and Conforto remain in play as possible alternatives if Colorado doesn’t get a deal with Bryant done.
The Rockies making a run at any one of those three outfielders might seem a bit counterintuitive, as Colorado’s coming off a 74-87 showing. For better or worse, ownership and the front office have maintained they’re trying to contend in 2022, in spite of losing Trevor Story and Jon Gray from an already below-average team. They’ve signed José Iglesias and Chad Kuhl to replace those respective players positionally, but those aren’t high-impact solutions. Bryant, needless to say, would be a much more notable and costly splash.
Colorado should have some payroll flexibility to accommodate a noteworthy free agent signing. Jason Martinez of Roster Resource currently estimates their 2022 commitments around $112MM, including projections for arbitration-eligible players. That’s already above last season’s Opening Day mark but well shy of the franchise-record $145MM figure from 2019. COO Greg Feasel said earlier this offseason that the Rox would push their player expenditures back towards that 2019 number over the coming two seasons.
the most interesting team in baseball…
This just in, Scott Boras “trying” to drum up more dollars for his client!
Only thing that makes sense is that Denver is close to Las Vegas, but I can’t see that being a factor when Seattle isn’t that much farther away.
An hour flight vs 2.5-3 Or 10-12 drive.
Replace “interesting” with “delusional”, and I think you nailed it.
One of the most underwhelming.. really underwhelming. It’s like every offseason they just do something to do something, no plan, direction.
The Rockies? Blaze on boys, blaze on. Ahahahaha!
Making lots of money and one of the best fanbases in the sport, in large part because they don’t tank. They’re alright. Maybe it’s the tanking teams that should be laughed at.
Most of those teams actually go to the playoffs at some point…
If the rox are your model for not tanking— you have an issue. The Rockies don’t maximize asset value. When you win 75 games and you’re not in the hunt you need to trade guys like Story for future assets.
Rox have a bottom 5 farm and not much left on the big league roster w/ surplus value.
He will end up on the mets as a role player
He is not signing to be role player. Don’t be silly.
Oh my bad. Didn’t see the dash. This is the spoof account.
Well technically,every player is signed to be a role player.It’s just some roles are more important than others,like Bryce Harper’s role is to be the face of the franchise in Philly for a decade or so.
Ok, if Cohen wants to spend 20MM a year for a role player…
Don’t feed the troll. Metsfan-22 talks out his backend more than a lactose intolerant person after an ice cream eating contest
Yes, but this is Metsfan-22 who is a parody of Metsfan22
What?!
Why would he go there ?? So he will have great numbers but ever go any where because pitching suck in that weather
He’s not even considering Colorado. Agent trying to “run up the price” but nobody is concerned about the Rockies spending money.
Yeah he is. He’s from Vegas, and has a place in Colorado ski country. Nice massive deal with an opt out or two to hit dingers at Coors and then move on to a contender? Hell yeah. Everyone always forgets that just because you sign a big contract doesn’t mean you’re stuck with that team for its length. And the Rockies are WAY into him. Have been since he was in high school and nearly traded Arenado straight up for him a couple years ago. They’re also something like $40m under their recent payroll peak.
Vegas isn’t that close to Denver, but I guess it is for millionaires.
it’s a 2 hr flight. that’s pretty close
Semantics. It doesn’t really make it anymore unique than most teams in the west or central division.
He already has a ring. The rockies can pay him and he can continue to pad his career stats and be the face of a franchise. His positional versatility gives a team with a lot of young talent like the rockies some options where signing story or arenado limits versatility
Yeah but can he pitch?
The Rox strength is their starting pitching. Their weakness is their hitting.
Rockies don’t really have a strength.
The Rockies do have strength. It’s in their attendance. They’ll be in the top 7 for ticket sales and Monfort loves it.
If Marquez, Senzatela, Freeland, Gomber, and Kuhl are your strengths then you probably shouldn’t be dipping your toe in the FA pool just yet.
4thefences: Exactly. And you can’t kill that fanbase, no matter how bizarre their moves are.
Tickets are cheap and you can’t beat that view at sunset, especially during wildfire season
Why not? Doesn’t stop you from doing it again later.
Top 7 is low for them.
Wait, what positional flexibility does Bryant offer that Story wouldn’t?
Would make sense for him to take a short term or have an opt out. Fluff some numbers, try FA again. I think we know what he is though, which is not to say he’s no good. Good, just not quite great. You don’t want him to be your best hitter.
This makes no sense, since they essentially had two major stars that they could have locked up and didn’t. Do a proper rebuild or enjoy last place for the time being.
Bryant already has a ring. The rockies can pay him and he can continue to pad his career stats and be the face of a franchise. His positional versatility gives a team with a lot of young talent like the rockies some options where signing story or arenado limits versatility. He also shouldn’t cost as much as Arenado and possibly not as much as Story
Just trying to jack the price up. He’ll sign with the Phillies and be a teammate of his best friend and fellow LV resident Bryce Harper.
If so, why not get the band back together and trade for Joey Gallo.
Or bring the Cubs band back together and have the Phil’s also sign Rizzo & Schwarber.
As always, we await developments.
He doesn’t like the East. Has said as much. Very much a western boy.
Lol. I love when fans start saying what players do and don’t like as if we have any clue.
yeah, and everybody thought Bryce was going to sign with a western team.
I don’t recall Bryce having said publicly that he doesn’t like the East.
“He prefers the west coast according to those close to him” quotes were being spouted. It’s all nonsense. I’m sure as “reliable” as the quites Bryant said about the East.
Makes ZERO sense for them to sign him.
Whhhhhhhhhhhy? Why do the Rockies have to be like this? You don’t trade Arenado and let Story walk, only to throw money at Kris Bryant, makes no dang sense.
Are you kidding? If they do this, it makes all the sense in the world. They essentially traded Arenado for his nearest equivalent (better hitter, worse fielder) in KB, and got in the bargain four young players including two really good ones, AND some extra money too (KB’s not making $35m a year). It’s actually a dream scenario for them. I have my doubts they’ll outbid the Mariners though.
Wait, what? Are you just ignoring the money they gave to STL or the fact that they signed him to that stupid contract in the first place and didn’t have to? I guess that would be a fitting, “dream scenario” for an organization like COL…
That said, you probably don’t want KB as your full time 3b anymore.
Nothing has made sense with the Rockies for many years.
They’re a highly successful business. Helluva lot better run than the Reds and Pirates of the world.
and Kris Bryant should be aggressively running away
This.
It’d better be pretty aggressive if they’re going to tempt him to join a crappy team that will struggle to make the postseason even with expanded playoffs
Players don’t care about that stuff nearly as much as people on this board think they do.
In general, players do care about that stuff, but admittedly it’s proportional. If the Rockies want to blow him away with a huge overpay, sure, he’ll probably sign. But if it comes down to equal, or close to equal dollars, players tend to go with the more competitive team.
Actually, guys like Wheeler who left…what a “whopping” $1.5MM of a $120+MM on the table in Chicago are pretty rare.
Almost always, best offer wins out no matter the amount or circumstance.
This. And a “winning team” is usually not even second place. Comfort level with the city is a big one, for wife too. Years of security. Playing time. Depends on the guy, but they’re all more important than how good the team is for many of them. Why did Seager and Semien sign with the 2nd worst team in baseball?
As mentioned, it’s proportional. They likely went to TX because TX offered them many more $ than other teams were offering them.
I still think the cubs bring back at least one of the stars they shipped out lat year. Rizzo,KB or schwarber – I’m hoping for rizzo but will settle for any of them
I agree. And I said then KB still makes the most sense. Highest upside, defensive versatility long-term, and because of his recent play — Cubs may even be able to get him at a discount. Plus there’s history there and when they left, Bryant & Baez were the two to shower the Cubs with the most love & praise.
At this point the Cubs can easily afford to bring back all 3 and they should. That’s enough by itself to compete in our mediocre division and the minors are restocked now. These are our WS heroes come on Cubs fans get on twitter and start showing some love!
Time to move on, guys.
They don’t have the pitching to compete for a ring. That’s what competition should be. They need a one, probably another middling starter and multiple bullpen arms.
So? Get pitching AND get hitters.
Yeah, it’s that easy!
It feels like the players and their agents are starting to run out of options. Bryant, Storey, Freeman and Correa are going to come knocking on the Mariners door and Jerry Dipoto is going to get somebody at a bargain price on a short term deal.
While its theoretically possible, it’s deeply inconsistent with their more recent moves,
Did he not learn anything from Arenado?
Different personalities in the extreme. Arenado is wound tight, super intense, and kind of a jerk. KB’s the total opposite. And he can negotiate an opt out so he can go away if he wants.
lol he won’t sign with the Rox.
Don’t be so sure. Rox have loved that guy since he was a junior in high school, and they have the cash.
That sounds a little creepy.
Kris Bryant to the Jays.
I sure hope he re-signs with us.
This may make sense to Bryant but it makes no sense for the Rockies…
Bryant to Seattle. Book it! Unless it’s Philadelphia. Or San Diego. Or back to San Francisco. Or the Cubs. Or Toronto. Or Korea. Or Japan.
Seattle is my guess.
Welp…he isn’t going to Seattle.
I really, really want this one. Cmon Jerry. This would be huge. I’m concerned that he might not like the ballpark, and especially since coors field could absolutely be good for his numbers, career.
Been hoping the Giants bring him back, but they always avoid top dollar.
I thought Seattle was going after him…
Rockies/Rangers WILL happen one day.
They’ll sign him for big money and then in a year they’ll trade him away for nothing. Just like Arenado.
No way does he join that organization. We all remember Robinson Cano.
If the Rockies do this they are simply throwing money away—not that Bryant isn’t a fine player. But he cannot put the Colorado roster’s mediocrity on his shoulders so they make the playoffs. I doubt Bryant would do this; money isn’t everything. This team needs to build incrementally.
Why can’t signing KB be an incremental move? As you said, he’s not going to move the needle by himself. Its a start.
Because there’s no one around him to build upon. No one in the minors about to shine in the majors. A pitching staff that is poor and, even so, kind of overrated.
The Rockies are a team in need of an infusion in the minors, but it will take years unless Montfort opens his wallet wide and starts signing as many free agents as possible. Right now, there aren’t enough of the gold-plated ones, and there’s zero indication that Monfort is ready to start tossing large amounts of money around even if there were..
I hear they’re gonna re-sign Ian Desmond for $35 million a year for 8 years. It’s the Rockies way!
“He’s a team player, Desi is”.
Sounds like more Boras maneuvering. Make it seem like Colorado is a real option. Smoke out the real market. Philly, Seattle etc. Who knows, Colorado is rebuilding and is condemned to finish behind LAD, Giants, Padres for the foreseeable future. Hard to see Rockies spending money right now.
Or they could have not traded Arenado.
It would be cool to see him hit there, certainly.
They’re aggressively pursuing him because he’s dodging their calls.
Blue Jays will swoop in.
Crazy to me that this is Kris Bryant’s first run through free agency. He feels like a unique situation of a bit of a reclamation/discount player looking for a bounce back and this all-star who’s finally up for his big career making free agent contract.
Like a guy who could have to settle for 1 year/$10M or a guy who could also get 6 years/$165M and both are equally plausible.
He was still pretty good last year, no way he has to settle for anything close to 1/10, he’s just not the 6-7 war mvp talent he was when he was 25
1-Sign Arenado for a gazillion $$, then can’t afford Story.
2-Trade Arenado and cut a check for $51M. Net cost for two seasons? $112M.
3-Lose Story instead of trading him.
4-Sign the inferior Bryant for more money than it would’ve cost to keep Arenado.
Of all the teams actually trying to win, the Rockies seem to be the worst at it.
So they pay a big chunk of their former third baseman’s salary and trade him to Cardinals but now want to sign another expensive third baseman that’s not as good.. do they have a clue at all what they are doing?
What ever do you mean, clearly this is their dream scenario!
Didn’t they just let story and grey walk bc it was too expensive? Why does it seem like they have absolutely no plan. Like honestly, just trade Marquez and cron and hope zac veen is as good as projected in four years
Makes absolutely no sense
Phillies need to quit sitting on their butts and sign one of these guys. What a pathetic offseason they’ve had!
The Rockies are confusing.
Denver. Montreal more likely to win a WS.
Dodgers will sign Bryant after Freddie is given a deadline to accept a staggering one year offer from them.
Guess Boras told Heyman to get Bryant’s name out there more
I don’t see why Bryant would consider signing there. Hope he gets an opt out after year 1
Go get him Cohen – 1 year deal until Baty is ready to take over 3B. $27M should get it done.
Interest in Kris Bryant displays all that’s wrong with the Rockies. A team bent on having a name to sell tickets of some kind. They’d have been a dynasty in the 1980s. Now they just get forced into being something to sell before Broncos camp opens.