The Rockies announced the signing of utility player Kyle Farmer on a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2026. The Beverly Hills Sports Council client is reportedly guaranteed $3.25MM. Farmer will make $2.5MM in base salary next season and is guaranteed at least a $750K buyout on the option, which is valued at $4MM. The deal includes another $1.25MM in incentives. Farmer would unlock $125K apiece for his 200th and 350th plate appearance next year. He’d earn another $150K at 400 and 450 PAs, $200K for his 500th trip to the plate, and $500K if he reaches 550 plate appearances.
Farmer returns to the NL West, where he began his career as a member of the Dodgers. It wasn’t until Los Angeles dealt him to the Reds that he emerged as a significant contributor. Farmer played regularly as a multi-positional infielder with Cincinnati between 2021-22. He combined for 30 homers with nearly league average offense over that stretch. The Reds dealt him to the Twins over the 2022-23 offseason.
Over two seasons in Minnesota, Farmer hit .240/.308/.387 across 611 plate appearances. The bulk of that production was concentrated in year one. Farmer had a solid .256/.317/.408 showing with 11 homers and 14 doubles in 2023. His offense dropped off this past season, as he slumped to a .214/.293/.353 slash with only five longballs over 242 trips to the plate. A shoulder strain shelved him between the middle of July and the second week of August. The Twins made the easy call to pass on their end of a $6.25MM mutual option coming off that down year.
The Rockies will hope for a rebound as Farmer enters his age-34 season. He has primarily played on the left side of the infield in his career. He has more than 2000 innings at shortstop and just over 1000 frames at the hot corner. The Rox have Ezequiel Tovar locked in at shortstop and Ryan McMahon at third base. Farmer, a right-handed hitter with a career .283/.344/.468 batting line against lefty pitching, could spell McMahon against southpaws. He should get the bulk of his work at second base, where he has played around 800 career innings.
Colorado non-tendered Brendan Rodgers tonight, leaving second base wide open. The long-term hope is that prospect Adael Amador will take the job, but he’s coming off an unspectacular season in Double-A. Amador turns 22 in April, so there’s plenty of time for development. He’ll likely start the season in Triple-A Albuquerque. Farmer can serve as a stopgap with the versatility to move into a utility role if Amador plays his way into a job in the second half.
It’s the second free agent move for the Rockies, who also brought back Jacob Stallings on a one-year guarantee this week. As with Stallings, Farmer is a veteran with a strong clubhouse reputation who could serve a leadership role for a rebuilding team.
FanSided’s Robert Murray first reported Farmer was nearing a deal with the Rockies. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported there was an agreement on a one-year deal with an option. Heyman first reported the $3.25MM guarantee and $1.25MM in bonuses, while Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the option structure. The Associated Press reported the specific incentive terms.
A 34 year old with little to no upside.
Checks out for Colorado.
Kyle Farmer had a superior road OPS to Brendan Rogers over the past two years. Neither of them is a starter on a good team. But Colorado is not a good team if Farmer is cheaper, the Rockies have lost nothing and hopefully Farmer will just be a backup.
It’s funny people are critical of this signing. Farmer won’t be the make or break for them contending.
He also has been just a but over replacement for pretty much entire career til barely dipping below last season. Which could easily change if he gets more consistent playing time. Then the bump he ll get from Coors.
Not exciting by any means but their current state relative to their division, this is type of player they should be signing. Maybe he has good first half and will have trade value to a contender for a utility role.
Having a good first half in Colorado just means you’ll have a lousy second half in COLORADO
Whatever you want to believe up there on your little hill….
He’s a major leaguer who is a reasonable stop gap measure.
Stopgap players = 100 losses
Like Kyle Farmer, this is a good sign, potential for a plus season is there. With regular at-bats he should easily play up to his contract, Rockies did well here cutting Rogers and signing Farmer.
Doesn’t make a ton of sense which is perfect for Colorado
I think it ll make more sense once terms of the deal come out.
He’ll be the next Michael Cuddyer
It’s sad, MLB needs to pry the team off of Dick Monfort.
Unless dick does something bad like Donald sterling nothing will happen
@neglected The opportunity was right there in front of us when we had Matt Kemp.
Just non tendered Quantrill and Rodgers. Now sign this guy.
Can anyone say Dick Monfort without laughing? Ahahahaha!
So get rid of the 28 year old relatively inexpensive second baseman and replace him with a 34 year old journeyman. Way to embrace the youth movement.
Frustrating, man. I’m sure Farmer is going to cost less than the $5.5M Rodgers would earn through arb.
I care nothing about salaries. It’s not my money and I am not the GM. I only care about what goes on the field, not about how much money the owners saved.
hiflew,
Every team cares salaries. Otherwise, the Rays would run a $0.5B payroll and dominate the league. Choosing to ignore the reality of payroll limitations seems silly and flippant.
The team should care about the salaries. But I am not the team. I am just a fan. I don’t care if I ever hear another word about the salaries of these men. It is none of my business what any of them make
hiflew
I don’t care if I ever hear another word about the salaries of these men.
=========================
You should care. The more efficiently a team spends its budget, the better they will be. That’s the same for every company in the world.
Oh my god. Only $1 million less than Rodgers. And Rodgers best position is second where the Rockies now have a hole. Farmer’s best positions are short and third where the Rockies have two of the best in the business. God I hope this doesn’t mean they are going to try and move McMahon back to second.
How can you say it’s only $1 million less than Rodgers when we don’t know what Rodgers would have made if they’d gone to arbitration with him? Rodgers was projected to get $5.5 million in arbitration, a difference of $1.75 million, not $1 million. Depending on what numbers each side filed at, Rodgers could have gotten a bit more or a bit less than $5.5 million, but most likely more than $1 million more than they’re paying Farmer.
I was counting incentives and the next year buyout. Al that adds up to $4.5MM which is $1MM less than the projection. Yes projections are not 100% accurate, but it’s we have at this exact moment.
My main point is that his production and especially his upside is worth far more than the approximate $1 million dollar gap.
Brendan Rogers’ OPS+ in 2024 – 94
Kyle Farmer’s OPS+ in 2024 – 82
Rockies, man, gotta love em.
Cheaper replacement for Rodgers who can hold down 2B while Amador gets more seasoning in AAA. Can become a utility guy if Amador bangs down the door and gets promoted for good at some point in the season. I don’t mind saving a few million that way in what will be a last place season anyway.
Farmer is a versatile player and great guy to have on a team. He should hit well in that park
We’ll Kyle, enjoy hitting a few additional homeruns. Might be able to beat your career high of 16.
Doubtful. Coors Field is not really known for plentiful homers, just long ones. Keep in mind, no Rockies player has ever hit 50 in a season.
Hi flew
Say what? Rockies pitchers gave up 1.36 home runs per game in 2024, the most of all thirty teams.
Sure, the Dodgers hit way more home runs than the Rockies because the Dodgers had better position players than the Rockies. But to say that Coors Field is not known for plentiful home runs is just crazy talk.
You have plenty of competent posts. But this was not one of them.
It’s completely competent if you understand it. I think you missed the point. Kyle Farmer will be playing for the Rockies, therefore he will not be hitting off Rockies pitchers. No Rockies hitter has ever been allowed to hit off Rockies pitching. So how many homers Rockies pitchers give up has nothing to do with how many homers that Rockies batters hit.
2024 Park Factors shows that Coors Field only finished 8th out of 30 park in homer rate at 109. Cincinnati was #1 at 128. Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, Rangers, Brewers, and Angels were all ahead of the Rockies. Coors still favors hitters, but not as much as singles, doubles, and triples. I’m not saying that Coors will ever be mistaken for whatever the hell they have named the SF Stadium this year, but it is not the homer dome that most people think.
Hiflew
But your quote was “Coors Field is not really known for plentiful homers, just long ones.”
Coors Field is known for plentiful homers. Due to a combo of high altitude and poor Rockies pitchers. Even #8 out of 30 is roughly the top 25%.
After we see Farmer’s results in 2024, we can decide who is the better “Oracle”.
🙂
Go get em farm dog!
Kyle Farmer. Kevin Newman. Kyle Farmer. Kevin Newman. For some reason I get these two guys confused with each other: now I’m not saying all white dudes 30s-ish utility infielders with mid power all look the same or anything…
This is the type of acquisition that the Rockies will be making until they’re free from the Arenado- departure and Bryant financial debacles.
In 2025, the Rockies will pay Arenado $5 million to play for the Cardinals (or someone else), and Bryant $27 million to probably not play much, if at all. If the report is correct that the Rockies’ 2025 payroll will max out at approximately $130 million, that means that 24.6% of their payroll will be wasted on these two guys. Little wonder why they’re non- tendering guys and signing less exoensive guys.
This seems like the kind of signing that….hmmmm. Could wait. Maybe see what else is out there. I feel bad for Rockies fans. They continually blow their young prospects and just make horrendous decisions in the front office.
The tide just changed in the NL west. Hopefully the Dodgers make a big move to counter.
I cannot think of the Rockies as competitive no matter how much I hallucinate
Great move refuse to tender Rodgers a contact and sign a guy for 1 million less with notably less upside and less positional fit!
Don’t overlook Aaron Shunk.. He’s very good at 3 infield positions. He will figure into how much a Farmer plays and where. Hopefully Rodgers will find success elsewhere. He has sneaky power and is good in the field.
Shunk is the reason they let Rodgers go IMO looks to be a decent major leaguer at worst bench guy.
Rodgers hit very well at home in COL, outside he was below average.
I guess they are hoping a 35 year old can provide better away stats.
Rox moving w/ November urgency to nab a priority target that is in demand.
Only way they should have signed him is if was making the absolute minimum. For the amount they are saving, the better thing would have been to keep Rodgers and see if they could flip him at the break.. This is typical Rockies, overpay someone that isn’t very good.
Get ready for the FARM DAWG Roxxx fans! Farmie is a great locker room, clubhouse, glue guy who does a lot for the community. LET’S GO!!!!!!!!
Yikes! Why??
I have nothing to add
But people, the HEADLINE reads, “Rockies sign Kyle Farmer!”
sigh
It looks like I’m in the minority when I opine that I think this is a rare smart move for the Rox. Farmer can play 2B and back up the IF. I don’t believe this is their replacement to Brendan Rogers but he’s not a downgrade.
This team is building a decent base; still, the pitching is not very good even during away games.