Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rockies Rumors

Rockies Sign Charlie Blackmon To One-Year Extension

By | at

The Rockies announced they’ve signed Charlie Blackmon to a one-year contract extension. He’ll return for a 14th season with the club in 2024. The ACES client receives a $13MM guarantee that offers an additional $2MM in incentives. Blackmon would receive $500K apiece for tallying 425, 450, 475 and 500 trips to the plate.

Blackmon has spent his entire career in Colorado. A second-round pick in 2009, he debuted two years later. By 2014, he’d established himself as a very good everyday center fielder. That season, Blackmon secured his first of four career All-Star nods. His best campaign came in 2017, when he finished fifth in NL MVP balloting and won the NL batting title. Colorado signed him to a $108MM extension the following April — including player options running through 2023.

The two-time Silver Slugger winner remained a well above-average hitter through 2019. He still hit above .300 during the shortened 2020 season, albeit with diminished power. Blackmon slumped to a .267/.332/.415 line between 2021-22, raising the possibility that this would be his final year in Denver. He exercised a $15MM option for this season and was set to hit the free agent market for the first time in the coming weeks.

Blackmon rebounded from his down couple seasons. Still working largely out of the leadoff spot, the 37-year-old has turned in a .283/.370/.451 slash through an even 400 plate appearances entering play Friday. He’s still not hitting for much power, but only Nolan Jones has more consistently gotten on base among Rox’s batters. Blackmon is drawing walks at a personal-best 9.8% clip while striking out just 13.5% of the time. He’s still performing well against pitchers of either handedness.

As one would expect for a player in his late-30s, Blackmon hasn’t provided much on the other side of the ball. The Rox moved him off center field after the 2018 season. Since logging 134 starts in right field two seasons ago, the veteran has seen increasing action at designated hitter. Skipper Bud Black has penciled him into the outfield on just 26 occasions while turning to him at DH 60 times.

Blackmon will presumably continue working as Colorado’s primary DH for another season. Jones has had a strong rookie year to take over left field. Kris Bryant was the primary right fielder early on, although he’s been a first baseman or DH since returning from a finger fracture. Bryant could move back to the outfield next season, which would allow the Rox to keep Blackmon out of the field on most days. If the Rockies keep their $182MM signee at first base, they could look to add a corner outfielder in free agency or trade over the winter.

It’s the second late-season extension for Colorado. The club agreed on a two-year, $20MM pact with starter Germán Márquez three weeks ago. Márquez underwent Tommy John surgery in May, so that move is primarily about 2025. This deal ensures veteran continuity for a young roster while keeping around a fan favorite who’s still a productive hitter — albeit in more of a rotational role than an everyday capacity. Reliever Brent Suter and depth starters Chris Flexen and Chase Anderson are the club’s remaining free agents.

Colorado had just over $98MM in guaranteed commitments for the ’24 campaign before re-signing Blackmon. The extension brings their commitments to around $111MM before considering arbitration-eligible players. They opened this year with a player payroll around $172MM, as calculated by Cot’s Baseball Contracts, so there should still be a decent amount of breathing room headed into the offseason.

At the same time, it’s a surprisingly strong sum for the Rox to commit. They’ll likely need to add at least three starting pitchers this offseason. Bullpen and/or center field help could be targets as well. Blackmon’s status in franchise history surely played a part in the deal, though it’s still above market expectations for a non-elite veteran hitter limited to a part-time DH/corner outfield role.

It’s a bit above the $10MM and $12MM respectively secured by J.D. Martinez and Michael Brantley last winter. Martinez indicated he took less than was available to join the Dodgers, while Brantley was coming off a season-ending shoulder procedure. Yet both players have been more productive hitters over the last few seasons than Blackmon has been. The Rockies are willing to go beyond what the veteran likely would’ve received as a free agent in order to ensure he’ll be back at Coors Field for another season.

MLBTR’s Steve Adams first reported the contract details.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Rockies "Making Up Ground" In Pitching Development, Analytics

By | at

As the Rockies shift their focus towards the offseason, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post writes that the club is looking to “make up ground” regarding its pitching development and analytics department. While Newman notes strides the club has made recently in those departments, the news isn’t entirely good.

On the pitching side of things, the club has been successful in looking to diversify its stockpile of arms in the minor leagues rather than simply focusing on sinker-slider pitches as they have previously. That being said, one prospect tells Newman that the changes have left the club’s planning for the pitchers they draft as unfocused. What’s more, the rash of injuries the Rockies suffered in the big league rotation this year (including Tommy John surgery for rotation stalwarts Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez) exposed the club’s lack of upper-level pitching depth, a situation that has forced the club to aggressively target pitching help not only in the last two drafts but also at the trade deadline this year.

Looking at the club’s analytics department, while the organization is in the midst of constructing what Newman describes as an analytics-specific building the Rockies call “the Lab”, Newman points out that most organizations around the major leagues already have their own version of such a building. That leaves the project as little more than playing catch-up relative to other organizations. Another example of the Rockies working to merely catch up to the competition is seen in their analytics staff. While prospects in the organization tell Newman that there’s a newfound emphasis on providing the players with digestible data thanks to each level of the organization sporting an analytics coordinator who travels with the team, the Rockies still employ just 11 full-time analysts total, tied for the second-fewest in the majors.

Meanwhile, in a Q&A with the organization’s blog, Rockies GM Bill Schmidt discussed the club’s future and cited the club’s aggressive acquisition of pitching talent as a reason for optimism regarding the club’s future. “We’re trying to make ourselves better and improve our talent base, and along the way, hopefully some of those guys are going to help us,” Schmidt said, “I think we’ve added 38 pitchers over the last two years through trades, the draft and international signings. You would like to think that even if a third of those guys hit, it’s going to help us.”

When asked about organization goals for the Rockies headed into the offseason, Schmidt kept things relatively vague, acknowledging that the club is “not where we need to be by any means” but simply pointing to a need to add depth to the big league roster rather than naming specific areas the club is looking to improve headed into the offseason.

Offseason Chat Transcript: Colorado Rockies

By | at

MLBTR is holding live chats specific to each of the 30 teams as the offseason nears. In conjunction with the offseason outlook for the Rockies, Anthony Franco held a Rockies-centric chat. Click here to view the transcript.

Offseason Outlook: Colorado Rockies

By | at

As has been the case for a few seasons, the Rockies underperformed internal expectations. While owner Dick Monfort said before Opening Day he felt the team could hover around .500, they’re instead headed for the first 100-loss season in franchise history. It can’t be fixed in one offseason, though Colorado will at least need to patch together a more competitive pitching staff if they’re to improve on this year’s NL-worst showing.

Guaranteed Contracts

Additional Financial Commitments

  • Owe Cardinals $5MM annually through 2025 as part of the Nolan Arenado trade
  • Owe $500K buyout to released RHP José Ureña

Option Decisions

  • None

Total 2024 commitments: $98.3MM
Total future commitments: $321.05MM

Arbitration-Eligible Players

Non-tender candidates: Wynns, Castro, Lambert, Blach

Free Agents

The Rockies have missed the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. They’re on their way to a bottom-three record in the majors, which will tie them with Oakland and Kansas City for the highest odds of securing the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft. Colorado hasn’t chosen to rebuild in the same way as some of the other worst teams in the majors, but they’ve had rebuilding results.

On any team that loses 100 games, there are a lot of weak points on the roster. None is quite as stark as the rotation. Colorado has had seven starters log 50+ innings this season. Only Peter Lambert (4.50 ERA) has allowed fewer than five earned runs per nine in that time, and he has struggled as a reliever. Even in the context of Coors Field, that’s untenable.

Kyle Freeland is assured of a spot in next year’s rotation. It’s hard to lock in anyone else. Austin Gomber logged 27 starts and 139 innings but posted a 5.50 ERA with a well below-average 14.4% strikeout rate. Antonio Senzatela underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-July and could miss the entire 2024 season.

Germán Márquez also underwent TJS midway through the ’23 campaign. Colorado and Márquez agreed to a two-year, $20MM extension last month that’ll keep him from hitting free agency. That’s a sensible move for the team — if Márquez recaptures his pre-surgery form, he’d be a strong bargain on a $10MM salary in 2025 — but it won’t help the rotation until at least late into next season.

Colorado has relied on a host of depth call-ups and journeymen to plug the back end of the staff with predictable results. Chris Flexen (6.46 ERA) and Chase Anderson (6.13) will be free agents. The Rox could bring either player back at little financial cost, though neither should be guaranteed a spot in the season-opening starting five. Noah Davis, Connor Seabold, Ryan Feltner and Lambert are under club control but better suited for depth roles. Former first-round pick Ryan Rolison has yet to make his MLB debut because of persistent shoulder injuries.

The Rox will need to turn to various avenues of acquisition to add competition. They’re unlikely to play at the top of the free agent market but could target the third or fourth tier — names like Kyle Gibson, Wade Miley or Martín Pérez. Pitching at Coors Field would be a tough sell for a pitcher trying to rebuild his value, but they could try to dangle a guaranteed rotation spot and a decent one-year salary for a rebound flier like Jake Odorizzi or Noah Syndergaard.

It’s a similar story on the trade market. Colorado is in no position to deal controllable talent for shorter-term MLB help. They could still roll the dice on a depth option or two who are squeezed out of another organization, as they did in sending cash to the Red Sox for Seabold last winter.

The bullpen isn’t good, though it’s in comparatively better shape than the rotation. Grounder specialist Jake Bird and hard-throwing righty Justin Lawrence have had impressive 2023 campaigns. Former closer Daniel Bard, whose ’23 season has been derailed by anxiety issues that contributed to significant strike-throwing woes, will probably get a middle innings spot since he’s under contract for $9.5MM.

They’ll count on a full season from Tyler Kinley, who has been limited to 15 appearances after rehabbing from last year’s elbow surgery. While Kinley’s ’23 results are middling, he had a 0.75 ERA in 25 outings before the injury a season ago. He clearly won’t maintain that pace over a full season, but the Rockies can expect better numbers than he has managed in his limited work this year after a healthy offseason.

That group skews heavily toward the right side. Brent Suter, the only southpaw in the late-season bullpen, is an impending free agent. Suter has acclimated well to Coors Field after being claimed off waivers last November, turning in a 3.51 ERA across 66 2/3 frames. General manager Bill Schmidt said before the trade deadline the team could try to keep Suter around for another season or two on an extension. If Suter signs elsewhere, they’ll likely bring in a similar low-cost southpaw via free agency.

Schmidt has also expressed interest in a new deal with Colorado’s top impending free agent: Charlie Blackmon. The 37-year-old indicated last month he was interested in returning for a 14th big league season. The career-long Rockie suggested his preference was to stick in Colorado despite leaving open the possibility of playing elsewhere if the Rox didn’t reciprocate that interest.

Blackmon is no longer an everyday outfielder. He’s still a solid role player who contributes in a right field/designated hitter capacity. The left-handed hitter owns a .276/.367/.432 line across 387 trips to the plate. While his power numbers are down, he’s very tough to strike out and has walked at a career-high 10.1% clip. If Blackmon is willing to accept a pay cut from $15MM to around $5-7MM, the Rockies could try to keep him around.

Colorado already has a few corner outfield/DH hybrids on the roster. Rookie Nolan Jones has arguably been the team’s best performer this season. Acquired from the Guardians for middle infield prospect Juan Brito last November, the lefty-swinging Jones has 17 homers with a .286/.382/.531 slash through 393 trips to the plate. He’s unlikely to continue hitting over .280 unless he cuts his strikeouts from the current 29.8% rate. Still, Jones has demonstrated that his power and plate discipline can play against big league pitching. He’ll be an everyday player, likely in left field.

That’s where Kris Bryant began the season. Colorado’s $182MM signee again suffered through an injury-plagued year, getting into 77 games to date. He has mostly played first base since returning from a broken finger a couple weeks ago. There’s no question Bryant will get a chance to play regularly at the start of next season. Whether that’s at first base or in right field could be determined by whether they retain Blackmon.

Colorado could look for a short-term upgrade in center field. Brenton Doyle has played stellar defense but hasn’t hit at all as a rookie. The 25-year-old has a .198/.249/.322 line while striking out almost 35% of the time in his first 119 contests. Most of the free agents at the position are glove-first veterans, which could be redundant given Doyle’s skillset. Someone like Adam Duvall or Joey Gallo would offer more offensive upside than Doyle and could kick over to right field when the club wants a defense-heavy alignment.

The infield is more set in stone, at least aside from first base. Brendan Rodgers should get another chance at second base after his ’23 campaign was derailed by a Spring Training shoulder dislocation. Ryan McMahon is locked in at third base, where he’s an elite defender. McMahon pairs that with decent offense and is arguably the Rockies’ best overall player.

Ezequiel Tovar will be back at shortstop after a mixed rookie season. He’s one of the most aggressive hitters in the majors, with his swing-heavy approach keeping him to a meager .293 on-base percentage. Yet Tovar has rated as an excellent defensive shortstop and has connected on 15 home runs. He just turned 22 and is surely still seen as a key piece of the future. Aside from perhaps upgrading on Harold Castro as the utility option, the bulk of the infield is established.

First base could be the exception, depending upon the club’s plans with Bryant. Neither Elehuris Montero nor Michael Toglia took hold of the job. If they wanted to add to the mix, they could turn to a rebound free agent (e.g. Ji Man Choi or Garrett Cooper) or look into a non-tender candidate like Rowdy Tellez.

All-Star Game MVP Elias Díaz has held the primary catching job. While his production has dropped off since the Midsummer Classic, the Rox probably have bigger concerns elsewhere. Díaz is due a $6MM salary in the final year of his contract next season. With a thin free agent class at the position, the Rockies could field some trade interest, though it’d probably be modest enough they won’t be motivated to make a move.

Players like McMahon and Rodgers have more appeal. There’s no indication the Rockies want to entertain moving either. McMahon is a key contributor who is signed for four more seasons. Rodgers has had a rough 2023 due primarily to those previously mentioned shoulder troubles, and to move him now would be selling low. With two seasons of remaining arbitration control, Colorado should probably hold him in hopes of a rebound year.

Colorado was a little more willing than they had been previously to deal off short-term assets at the trade deadline, moving impending free agents Pierce Johnson and Brad Hand. They’ve remained steadfastly opposed to a broader teardown. Their resolute belief the organization doesn’t need a major overhaul has extended to the manager chair. Colorado signed Bud Black to an extension in February; he’s under contract through 2024, which would be his eighth season at the helm.

The major league roster doesn’t offer much reason for optimism. No matter what they do this winter, they’re going to enter 2024 as the likely last-place team in the NL West. Hope for the longer-term outlook is rooted in a farm system that has improved in two-plus years under Schmidt.

Colorado has three prospects who appeared among Baseball America’s recent Top 50 minor league talents. Middle infielder Adael Amador and corner outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez have each reached Double-A at age 20. Ninth overall pick Chase Dollander is the highest-upside arm to enter the farm system in some time. They’ll secure another high draft choice next summer.

None of that group is likely to make much of an impact in 2024 and Colorado’s farm system is still middle-of-the-pack unit overall. Yet it’s at least possible to envision a competitive group of position players emerging within the next few seasons, particularly if Tovar takes a step forward in his second big league campaign. On the other hand, the long-term pitching outlook is still very questionable.

Colorado’s payroll picture isn’t quite as bleak as it was six months ago. The bulk of the money in the Nolan Arenado trade has finally been paid out, with Colorado’s remaining commitments consisting of $5MM annually over the next two seasons. Blackmon’s salary would drop if he returns; C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk are off the books.

The organization looks a little better off than it did at this time last winter. It’s a slow process, though, one that looks likely to lead to a modest offseason and another poor record in 2024.

In conjunction with this post, Anthony Franco held a Rockies-centric chat on 9-25-23. Click here to view the transcript.

Injury Notes: Correa, Kim, Feltner, Gallegos

By | at

Carlos Correa exited Monday night’s game against the Reds in the first inning following a flare-up of his plantar fasciitis. The shortstop told reporters (including Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com) that he felt a tweak in his heel as he ran to catch a pop fly.

Correa has been playing through the painful condition throughout most of the season. He was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and a muscle strain in his left foot arch back in May but has avoided a trip to the injured list thus far. The two-time All-Star suggested he could sit out a few games to preserve his body for the playoffs, although he emphasized that neither he nor the Twins have determined a course of action just yet. He acknowledged that time off his feet would do him some good, but even so, he might prefer to keep playing until Minnesota has officially clinched the AL Central crown.

The 28-year-old is in the midst of a down year, slashing just .230/.312/.399. His injury could certainly be responsible for his dip in production, in which case a few days of rest would make even more sense. The Twins are all but certain to reach October, and now is the time for Correa to focus on restoring his health. That being said, it’s understandable why he’d want to take the field every day down the stretch. As the most accomplished and highest-paid player on the roster, the 2017 World Series champion has a leadership role to play in the Twins’ clubhouse.

In other injury news around baseball:

  • Ha-Seong Kim sits out a second straight game, as he continues to deal with discomfort in his abdomen. The Padres infielder told reporters, including Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, that he isn’t sure why he feels so unwell, and he’s waiting on test results that he hopes will reveal the cause. Kim has been a bright spot in a difficult season for San Diego, hitting 17 home runs, stealing 36 bases, and playing excellent defense all around the infield. Unfortunately, he has been slumping as of late, with a .204/.291/.282 slash-line over the past month; it’s unclear if his slump has anything to do with his abdominal pain.
  • The Rockies are preparing to reinstate starting pitcher Ryan Feltner ahead of Tuesday’s contest with the Padres, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Feltner has been on the 60-day IL since late May, as he recovered from a concussion and a fractured skull. The Rockies have an open spot on their 40-man roster, so they can reinstate the righty without making a corresponding move. However, they’ll still need to free up a spot for him on the active roster. Feltner was off to a rough start in 2023 (5.86 ERA in eight starts) even before a liner off the bat of Nick Castellanos nearly ended his season. Suffice it to say, it’s remarkable that he’ll be returning to the field after such a scary injury.
  • The Cardinals have placed Giovanny Gallegos on the 15-day IL with right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis. Jake Woodford was recalled from Triple-A to take his spot on the active roster. The team told reporters (including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat) that the injury doesn’t seem serious, but they’re playing it extra safe as the season draws to a close. Indeed, they might have shut the righty down even sooner, but Gallegos wanted to ensure that he had properly addressed the pitch tipping issues he was having earlier in the season.

Rockies Place Kyle Freeland On 15-Day Injured List

By | at

  • The Rockies placed left-hander Kyle Freeland on the 15-day injured list today due to a right oblique strain, so Freeland won’t pitch again during the 2023 season.  The oblique injury forced Freeland to make an early exit from Saturday’s game, and continued the season-long string of pitching injuries that has devastated the Rockies’ staff.  It was a frustrating year overall for the veteran southpaw, who posted a 5.03 ERA and one of the sport’s lowest strikeout rates (13.9%) over 155 2/3 innings.

Rockies Injuries: Freeland, Lambert

By | at

  • The Rockies’ seemingly nonstop flood of pitching injuries has continued today, with Kyle Freeland leaving today’s start after three innings due to what the club later announced as a mild right oblique strain.  This came after Colorado already placed right-hander Peter Lambert on the 15-day IL prior to their doubleheader with the Giants, as Lambert is suffering from right biceps tendinitis.  Lambert has a 5.36 ERA over 87 1/3 innings this year, after missing most of the previous three seasons due to injuries.  Freeland has a 5.07 ERA and he leads the Rox with 155 2/3 innings pitched, though he also previously missed a bit of time on the IL with a minor shoulder issue in July.  It is safe to assume that Lambert’s 2023 campaign is over, and Freeland is also probably done for the year unless his oblique strain ends up being very minor.

Justin Lawrence Day-To-Day With Ankle Injury

By | at

Rockies reliever Justin Lawrence was removed from Friday night’s contest against the Giants with an injury to his left ankle. He was able to walk off the field, and following the game, manager Bud Black told reporters from MLB.com that Lawrence was likely to avoid a trip to the IL. That’s good news for the Rockies, who have dealt with more than their fair share of pitching injuries this year.

As Patrick Lyons of DNVR Rockies pointed out on Twitter, the team has already tied their franchise record for most starting pitchers used in a season. Starters Antonio Senzatela, Germán Márquez, Kyle Freeland, Austin Gomber, Chase Anderson, and Ryan Feltner have all spent time on the IL. So too have several notable relievers, including Daniel Bard, Brent Suter, Lucas Gilbreath, Tyler Kinley, and Nick Mears.

Overall, Rockies pitchers have the worst ERA in the sport. That’s not entirely surprising, considering they play in such a hitter-friendly stadium, but even park-adjusted statistics paint a dismal picture of Colorado’s pitching staff. They rank last in the majors with a 4.92 SIERA.

Lawrence has been one of the few bright spots for Colorado this season. He ranks second on the team with a 3.95 ERA (min. 40 IP) and third with 1.1 FanGraphs WAR. He has recorded 11 saves and given up just four home runs in 62 appearances out of the bullpen. His performance this year represents a marked improvement over his first two seasons; from 2021-22, he pitched to a 6.52 ERA in 57 games.

That said, the 28-year-old righty has run into a rough patch as of late. On August 15, he allowed five runs on seven hits in a disastrous ninth inning, blowing a save and taking the loss. He hasn’t seemed quite the same ever since, pitching to a 7.00 ERA and 5.15 SIERA over his last 11 games. If his ankle injury is indeed as minor as it seems, it could give him a chance to take a brief rest and reset before returning to the mound for the end of the season.

Rockies Outright Cole Tucker

By | at

For the second time this season, Rockies infielder/outfielder Cole Tucker went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Albuquerque, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. Tucker was designated for assignment earlier in the week. Because he’s already been outrighted once, he’ll have the option of rejecting this assignment in favor of free agency.

The 27-year-old Tucker joined the Rockies on a minor league deal over the winter and has twice been selected to the Majors, though he’s only tallied 10 plate appearances (during which he’s gone 4-for-8 with a walk and a hit by pitch). He’s spent the rest of the season in Albuquerque, where’s he’s appeared in 70 games and batted .280/.391/.407 in 321 plate appearances.

Selected by the Pirates with the No. 24 overall pick back in 2014, Tucker was considered one of Pittsburgh’s top prospects for the better part of five years but has yet to put things together in the Majors. He’s played in 159 big league games and tallied 479 plate appearances across parts of five seasons, but he has just a .216/.266/.318 batting line to show for it. His .250/.350/.382 batting line in four Triple-A campaigns is a clear improvement but still doesn’t stand out in and of itself. Tucker had top-of-the-scale sprint speed when he debuted in 2019 (90th percentile of MLB players, per Statcast). He’s slowed a bit, dropping from an average of 28.8 feet per second to 28.3 ft/sec, but that’s still good enough to rank in the 75th percentile of MLB players.

Tucker has primarily been a shortstop in his professional career, with more than 5500 innings at the position (including his minor league work). The Pirates and Rockies began bouncing him to other positions in recent years in order to improve his versatility. He’s since logged at least 375 innings at each of second base, center field and right field, with briefer stints at first base, third base and in left field.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Free Agent Class Preview: Catcher and First Base, Márquez Extension and the Dodgers’ Rotation

By | at

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • What can the Tigers do about Spencer Turnbull? (16:45)
  • Will the Athletics change their spending habits after they move to Las Vegas? (22:00)
  • Why is the American League Central always so bad and will that ever change? (25:45)

Check out our past episodes!

  • Waiver Claim Fallout, September Call-Ups and the Biggest Strength of Each Playoff Contender – listen here
  • MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Shohei Ohtani’s Torn UCL, Free Agent Power Rankings and Stephen Strasburg to Retire – listen here
  • The White Sox Fire Their Front Office, Injured Rays and Prospect Promotion Time – listen here
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top