- Rockies’ star third baseman Nolan Arenado was held out of the lineup today with a left shoulder injury, per the Athletic’s Nick Groke (via Twitter). Colorado is hoping he’ll avoid an injured list stint, says Groke. Arenado’s obviously of immense importance if the 21-24 Rockies are to erase a game and half deficit and get into the postseason.
Rockies Rumors
Rockies Reinstate Wade Davis From Injured List
The Rockies have activated right-hander Wade Davis off the 10-day injured list. In a corresponding move, the team also announced that right-hander Ashton Goudeau has been sent down to the Rockies’ alternate training site.
Davis hit the IL with a right shoulder strain back on August 2, following an ugly start to the season that saw the reliever allow five earned runs over his first 2 2/3 innings of action, resulting in a 16.88 ERA. Given Davis’ struggles both this season and in 2019, it’s probably safe to assume that he won’t regain the closer job, as Daniel Bard has emerged as a solid ninth-inning option for the Rox.
This role change will impact Davis going into next season, as a vesting option in his contract would have guaranteed the $15MM mutual option on his services for 2021 if Davis had finished 30 games — or, in this shortened 2020 season, either 11 or 12 games. As a result, this will likely bring an end to Davis’ tenure in Colorado, a stint that has to go down as a disappointment for the Rockies given the lack of return on their three-year, $52MM investment in the veteran reliever. There’s still time for Davis to go out on a high note, however, if he can pitch well down the stretch and help the Rockies reach the postseason.
Rockies Sign AJ Ramos
SEPT. 7: Ramos has signed a minor league deal, the Rockies announced. He’ll join their 60-man player pool.
SEPT. 4: The Rockies have signed free-agent reliever AJ Ramos, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. It’s presumably a minor league contract for Ramos, whom the Cubs released from a minors pact Thursday.
Ramos’ best years came in Miami, where he debuted in 2012, logged sub-3.00 ERAs and accumulated 64-plus innings in each season from 2014-16, and piled up 92 of his 99 career saves. But Ramos fell off substantially in 2017 between the Marlins and Mets, who acquired him in advance of that year’s trade deadline, and endured a career-worst 2018 before undergoing shoulder surgery.
Ramos hasn’t pitched in the majors since he went under the knife, but the 33-year-old right-hander has latched on with three teams over the past few months during his comeback attempt. Deals with the Dodgers and Cubs didn’t lead to MLB opportunities for Ramos, but perhaps he’ll get a chance to join a Colorado bullpen that entered Friday with the bigs’ second-worst ERA (6.58).
Rockies Place Jon Gray On 10-Day Injured List
The Rockies have placed right-hander Jon Gray on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 2, with shoulder inflammation, the team announced. They recalled righty Jose Mujica to take Gray’s roster spot.
Shoulder issues can lead to lengthy absences for pitchers, so it’s unclear whether Gray will return this season. Regardless, the 28-year-old – who was a key part of the Rockies’ rotation during previous seasons – has struggled in 2020 for the playoff contenders. Gray has averaged fewer than five innings per start (39 frames in eight appearances) and recorded career worsts in ERA (6.69), FIP (5.01), strikeouts per nine (5.08), groundball rate (36.7 percent) and average fastball velocity (94 mph).
Aside from Gray, the Rockies have given multiple starts to German Marquez, Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland and Ryan Castellani this year. Marquez, Senzatela and Freeland have been respectable overall, while Castellani has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of six appearances. A pair of five-run blowups have damaged his numbers, though.
Rockies Claim Jesus Tinoco
The Rockies have claimed right-hander Jesus Tinoco off waivers from the Marlins, per an announcement from both teams. Colorado traded Tinoco to Miami less than a month ago, receiving righty Chad Smith in return. The Rox will now have both right-handers in their organization. Tinoco has been optioned to the Rockies’ alternate training site.
Tinoco, 25, appeared in three games for the Marlins and tossed five hitless, scoreless innings. He walked three batters and picked up another three strikeouts along the way. Tinoco also logged 36 innings in the Colorado bullpen in 2019 and sports a career 4.17 ERA in his 41 frames. However, control problems have plagued Tinoco, and he appears rather fortunate to have maintained an ERA that respectable. The righty has averaged 5.5 walks and 2.6 home runs per nine innings in the big leagues, leading to an eye-popping 7.40 FIP and a 5.68 xFIP.
Originally acquired by the Rockies from the Blue Jays in the Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster, Tinoco has never missed bats or induced grounders at a particularly strong rate in the minors. The control issues that have emerged in the big leagues weren’t present throughout the bulk of his minor league career, however. Overall, Tinoco has a 4.71 ERA with 7.3 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in parts of eight minor league seasons.
NL West Trade Deadline Recap
With the deadline in the rearview mirror, we’ll look back at each NL West team’s trade activity over the past month.
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Acquired cash considerations from Twins for INF Ildemaro Vargas
- Acquired LHP Travis Bergen from Blue Jays for LHP Robbie Ray
- Acquired a player to be named later from Cubs for LHP Andrew Chafin
- Acquired LHP Caleb Smith, RHP Humberto Mejia and a player to be named later (reportedly LHP Julio Frias) from Marlins for OF Starling Marté
- Acquired INF Josh VanMeter and OF Stuart Fairchild from Reds for RHP Archie Bradley
Colorado Rockies
- Acquired RHP Chad Smith from Marlins for RHP Jesús Tinoco
- Acquired RHP Mychal Givens from Orioles for IF Tyler Nevin, IF Terrin Vavra and a player to be named later
- Acquired OF Kevin Pillar from Red Sox for a player to be named later and international bonus pool space
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Acquired two players to be named later from Blue Jays for RHP Ross Stripling
San Diego Padres
- Acquired 1B Yonder Alonso from Braves for cash considerations
- Acquired cash considerations from Mariners for RHP Jimmy Yacabonis
- Acquired RHP Trevor Rosenthal from Royals for OF Edward Olivares and a player to be named later
- Acquired 1B Mitch Moreland from Red Sox for IF Hudson Potts and OF Jeisson Rosario
- Acquired C Jason Castro from Angels for RHP Gerardo Reyes
- Acquired C Austin Nola, RHP Austin Adams and RHP Dan Altavilla from Mariners for OF Taylor Trammell, INF Ty France, C Luis Torrens and RHP Andres Muñoz
- Acquired RHP Mike Clevinger and OF Greg Allen from Indians for OF Josh Naylor, RHP Cal Quantrill, C Austin Hedges, INF Gabriel Arias, LHP Joey Cantillo, and INF Owen Miller
- Acquired RHP Taylor Williams from Mariners for a player to be named later (reportedly RHP Matt Brash)
San Francisco Giants
- Acquired RHP Jordan Humphreys from Mets for OF Billy Hamilton
- Acquired OF Luis Basabe from White Sox for cash considerations
- Acquired INF Daniel Robertson from Rays for cash considerations
- Acquired cash considerations from Yankees for C Rob Brantly
- Acquired LHP Anthony Banda from Rays for cash considerations
Rockies To Acquire Kevin Pillar
The Rockies will acquire outfielder Kevin Pillar and cash from the Red Sox for a player to be named later and 2019-20 international slot money, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
This season has been a major letdown for the Red Sox, but Pillar proved to be a good investment during his month-plus in their uniform. After signing a one-year, $4.25MM contract in the offseason, the former Blue Jay and Giant slashed a respectable .274/.325/.470 with four home runs over 126 plate appearances. Pillar also lined up at all three outfield positions as a member of the Red Sox, though he primarily played right field.
In Colorado, which will enter Monday 17-17 and as a surprising playoff contender, Pillar will hand the club another proven outfielder to join a group highlighted by Charlie Blackmon, Raimel Tapia and David Dahl.
Blackmon has been great this year, Tapia has provided solid production in his own right, and Sam Hilliard has given the club passable numbers. However, the oft-injured Dahl – who has been on the IL for about two weeks – has stumbled, as have the rest of the Rockies’ outfield options. Beyond this year, though, it remains to be seen whether Pillar will stay in Colorado, as he’s slated to reach free agency again over the winter.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rockies Acquire Mychal Givens From Orioles
The Orioles have dealt relief pitcher Mychal Givens to the Rockies, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Along with Tommy Milone, Givens is the second key pitcher the Orioles have traded away today. In return, the Orioles will receive Tyler Nevin, Terrin Vavra, and a player to be named later, as first reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Givens has returned to the setup role after struggling as Baltimore’s closer for much of last season, converting just 11 of 19 save opportunities. 2019 was clearly Givens’s worst season since debuting in 2015, but this year he’s once again showing the form that allowed him to excel as Zack Britton’s right-hand man just a few years ago.
Through his first 13 innings of work this year, Givens is sporting a 1.38 ERA and an even 1.00 WHIP, which is supported by career-best strikeout numbers and a 3.17 K:BB ratio. His strikeout rate has climbed up to 38%, and while his walk numbers are up slightly from years’ past, it’s not enough to induce panic. Opponents’ batted-ball results are much improved over last year, aligning more closely with Givens’s 2017 season, when he was at his best. Givens relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that sits right around 95 mph, also utilizing a mid-80s slider and a changeup.
By acquiring Givens, the Rockies hope to strengthen a bullpen that is currently producing to the tune of a 5.81 ERA, the third-worst in all of baseball. For what it’s worth, that number is quite a bit higher than the unit’s 4.22 FIP, which is roughly middle-of-the-pack, but the fact is that the Colorado ’pen has not done well to prevent runs this year. With Scott Oberg out for the year and Wade Davis on the injured list, it’s a thin unit that has had to rely on inexperienced arms like Yency Almonte, Carlos Estevez, and Jairo Diaz.
At first blush, it looks like a pretty solid haul for the O’s in exchange for their top reliever. In Vavra and Nevin—two 23-year-olds—Baltimore is getting the Rockies’ No. 7 and No. 14 ranked prospects, respectively (courtesy of MLB Pipeline). Nevin is strictly limited to corner positions (experimenting with the outfield last year after beginning his career at third base), and is a bat-first player with solid plate discipline and the ability to make hard contact to all fields. His 13 home runs at Double-A last year tied a career high.
Vavra, meanwhile, was the Rockies’ third-round draft choice in 2018, and projects as a middle-infield type, with second base perhaps his best fit at the Major League level. He’s likewise known for his bat, a line-drive hitter with advanced bat-to-ball skills who walked as often as he struck out last year. A switch-hitter, his hitting talent has been on display in the year and a half since he was drafted, though he’s only reached as high as A-ball.
Ben Bowden Unlikely To Pitch In Majors This Season
- Rockies pitching prospect Ben Bowden isn’t likely to make his MLB debut this season, manager Bud Black told The Athletic’s Nick Groke and other reporters. Bowden suffered another injury he was already recovering from a back problem that sidelined him during Spring Training. A second-round pick out of Vanderbilt in the 2016 draft, Bowden didn’t have a great performance in the hitter-friendly environment of Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2019, though the southpaw has a 3.60 ERA, 13.1 K/9, and 3.15 K/BB over 127 1/3 total minor league innings, all as a reliever.
Rockies Sign Zac Rosscup
TODAY: The Rockies have announced the signing. Rosscup has inked a minor league deal and been added to the team’s 60-man player pool.
AUGUST 25: The Rockies are close to a deal with left-hander Zac Rosscup, FOX 26’s Mark Berman reports (Twitter link). The deal, presumably a minor league contract, will be official once Rosscup passes a physical and a COVID-19 screening.
Rosscup previously pitched for Colorado in 2017-18 and was also a member of the organization just this season, as he signed a minor league deal last winter but was released in June. He’ll now get a second chance at that second stint with the Rox, who are likely looking to add some bullpen depth in the wake of some injuries. James Pazos and Phillip Diehl are the only left-handed relievers on the Rockies’ current active roster, and none of the other southpaws at their alternate training site have any big league experience.
Rosscup has tossed 83 2/3 career innings over parts of six MLB seasons, pitching for the Rockies and four other clubs. In 2019, Rosscup threw 18 innings split over separate stints with the Mariners, Blue Jays, and Dodgers, plus he also spent time in the Cardinals’ farm system. Since being released by Colorado this summer, Rosscup has been pitching in independent baseball in Sugar Land, Texas.
The 32-year-old has a 5.16 ERA and a very impressive 12.2 K/9 over his 83 2/3 frames, though home runs (1.6 HR/9) and walks (5.9 BB/9) have been consistent issues over Rosscup’s time in the majors. Over 329 1/3 career minor league innings, Rosscup has a 2.71 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and only an 0.4 HR/9 and 3.6 BB/9, though he had some major control issues over 16 2/3 innings of Triple-A ball in 2019.
