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Jose Reyes

Mets Expected To Sign Jose Reyes

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SATURDAY: The Mets will sign Reyes once he officially becomes a free agent at noon Central time, as various reporters, including ESPN’s Adam Rubin, have noted.

FRIDAY 10:18pm: New York expects to sign Reyes as soon as tomorrow, sources tell MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.

4:08pm: Jose Reyes isn’t yet a free agent, but he’ll formally clear release waivers tomorrow afternoon, and according to David Lennon and Marc Carig of Newsday, all signs point to a reunion with the Mets once his release from the Rockies becomes official. According to the Newsday duo, the Mets haven’t made a final decision, but a deal could come together this weekend. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports hears similar chatter, writing that a reunion between the two sides is “very likely” to come to fruition.

Indeed, manager Terry Collins certainly spoke about Reyes today as if the signing is quite likely, as SNY’s Kerith Burke notes on Twitter. The skipper said that he has not only chatted with the coaching staff about how Reyes could be used, but that those discusses have included the idea of deploying him as an outfielder. (Twitter links via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.) As Newsday noted earlier this week, a move to third base would seem to make the most sense, though New York has also discussed sliding Neil Walker over there and playing Reyes at second base.

The idea has evidently picked up steam in the past week after initially being floated in the media while Reyes was in DFA limbo. The team is said to be intrigued by his speed and history of on-base skills — two traits the roster currently lacks. Reyes currently resides in Long Island and would love to return to the team with which he began his career, per Lennon and Carig.

The Mets have seen their infield depth compromised this season due to neck surgery for David Wright and a stress fracture in Lucas Duda’s back. The team cut bait with one infield option in Spring Training when it released Ruben Tejada, as well, and the current depth chart is much different than New York probably expected coming into the year. Reyes would make reasonable sense as a depth option at either second base or third base — there’s been no mention of shortstop, and defensive metrics/scouts alike have questioned his ability to play shortstop for some time now — and he’ll of course come cheaply. After his release is official, the Mets would be on the hook for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum through season’s end — a total of $277,322. (That money would be subtracted from what the Rockies owe Reyes.)

Rockies Request Release Waivers On Jose Reyes

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The Rockies announced today that they have requested release waivers on Jose Reyes, whom the team had previously designated for assignment last week. Reyes will have 48 hours to clear waivers, after which he’ll become a free agent and have the ability to sign with any club for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum. Technically, a team could claim Reyes off release waivers, though considering the $38.14MM remaining on his contract through the end of the 2017 season, he’s a virtual lock to clear and seek new employment on the open market.

There was some talk of the Rockies potentially trying to trade Reyes, but any efforts toward that end unsurprisingly came up empty. Colorado has had ample time to attempt to trade Reyes since he was arrested last Halloween and faced charges of domestic abuse from his wife (said charges were dropped in April), but the team has yet to find a taker. It seems likely that some team will ultimately take a shot at signing Reyes to what would be a minimal commitment, however, if only due to his track record as a well-above-average player on the field. Recent reports have indicated that the Mets are “warming up” to the idea of a reunion with Reyes, who is said to very much hope to return to Queens.

Whether Reyes proves to be any kind of on-field upgrade remains to be seen. Though he does have a long track record of production, as noted above, he was one of the game’s worst offensive players last season following his trade to Colorado. Despite the fact that Coors Field is notorious for inflating offense, Reyes posted just a .259/.291/.368 line in 208 plate appearances as a member of the Rockies. Overall, his combined .274/.310/.378 slash was considerably below average for a player that split his season between two of the game’s most favorable parks for offense.

NL East Notes: Reyes, Mets, Ramos, Marlins

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The Mets are beginning to “warm up” to the idea of a reunion with Jose Reyes, according to Newsday’s David Lennon. While Lennon cautions that those familiar with the team’s thinking won’t characterize it as any sort of sure thing, the team has begun to discuss the idea more seriously over the past several days, per Lennon. While Reyes has privately voiced a willingness to play third base if it means returning to Queens, Lennon hears that the Mets have also considered sliding Neil Walker to the hot corner when discussing various scenarios, which could open second base for Reyes. The Mets won’t be able to make anything happen on the Reyes front until this weekend, as he still needs to be placed on release waivers and clear (a 48-hour process) before he’s eligible to sign else where.

Here’s more from the National League East:

  • While Reyes is one infield option for the Mets, Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron opines that a trade for Danny Valencia is the perfect fit for New York. In perusing the teams that are likely to emerge as sellers this summer, Cameron notes that there’s a lack of impact bats available that can handle third base. Valencia is the exception, he writes, noting that the former platoon weapon has emerged as a legitimate threat to right-handed pitching over the past season-plus. Indeed, Valencia is hitting .304/.355/.528 across his past 155 contests, and his $3.2MM salary is eminently affordable. Cameron’s assessment is sound, and I’ll add to his argument that the remainder of Valencia’s relatively modest salary is less than the roughly $5.5MM the Mets stand to recoup from the insurance policy on Wright’s contract. Valencia is controllable through 2017 as well, and as Cameron points out, he’d serve as a safety net at third base in the event that Wright is again unable to take the field for the majority of the 2017 campaign.
  • Catcher Wilson Ramos has been a force for the Nationals this year, and Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post explores what his breakout means for the organization. “It hasn’t changed a lot for me,” said GM Mike Rizzo. “Since we traded for him, we’ve always seen the upside. We knew he was as good an offensive catcher as there is in the game.” The Nats certainly do not appear to have an everyday option waiting in the wings at the position, so it’s not hard to see the rationale for bringing back the pending free agent. Rizzo suggested that an extension could make sense, even at this point of the season, though he declined to spill any details. “I don’t think it’s ever too late or too early to think about [an extension],” he said. “We’ve got a plan in place for all the guys we have. He’s a guy we see as a long-term asset for us. Those are conversations we keep internal.”
  • Earlier this week FOX’s Jon Morosi reported that the Marlins have interest in Rays righty Jake Odorizzi, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears the same. However, Jackson also notes that the Marlins are aware that their farm system isn’t teeming with the types of players that it would take to net a controllable arm such as Odorizzi. Prior to the season, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law both rated the Marlins’ farm system 29th among all 30 teams, with only the Angels trailing them. That, paired with the team’s perennially low payroll, makes the Marlins’ search for rotation help a bit more difficult than it might be for most clubs. Jackson also adds that the Marlins figure to skip one more Jose Fernandez start later this season in an effort to conserve some of his innings for a potential postseason berth.

Mets Notes: Colon, Wheeler, Gurriel, Duda, Reyes

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Veteran righty Bartolo Colon left his start tonight after just four pitches when he was struck on his pitching thumb by a comebacker. Fortunately, x-rays were negative, suggesting that the team may have dodged a bullet. A lengthy absence from Colon would represent a blow to a club that is already dealing with some significant injury questions.

Here’s more from Queens:

  • The hope has long been that Zack Wheeler would re-enter the picture this summer, adding another quality arm to a stacked rotation. His status could take on renewed importance if Colon is down, but we heard earlier today that he may now be on hold. Wheeler has been “backed down” from his pitching program after experiencing elbow discomfort, as Mike Puma of the New York Post was among those to report on Twitter. GM Sandy Alderson says that it’s not yet clear how concerning the issue is, with Wheeler set to be examined further tomorrow (via Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, on Twitter).
  • Third base remains arguably the biggest area of concern for New York, and Alderson said today that the club intends to host a private workout with Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel, as David Lennon of Newsday was among those to tweet. Widely regarded as the best Cuban player of his generation, the infielder was recently declared a free agent at an opportune time for clubs in need of a third or perhaps a second baseman. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk examined the potential market for Gurriel earlier today, listing the Mets among many teams that could conceivably match up with the 32-year-old.
  • First baseman Lucas Duda has yet to advance to baseball activities, Rubin tweets. He has been limited thus far to bike exercise as he tries to recover from a lower back stress fracture. James Loney has filled in adequately thus far, with a .279/.329/.412 batting line in 74 plate appearances.
  • As the Mets weigh a move for infielder Jose Reyes — who is said to prefer a return himself (via Mike Puma of the New York Post, on Twitter) — Rubin reports that Alderson has hinted that Reyes’s ugly domestic violence incident will weigh into the equation. “We always evaluate talent and character,” said Alderson (who was understandably addressing the issue obliquely). “There’s a balance. With respect to issues of character, those are things we take a look at. Those are things we don’t ignore and are always taken into account when we make a player-acquisition decision.”

Mets Weighing Run At Jose Reyes

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We heard the suggestion yesterday from David Lennon of Newsday that the Mets could be open to a reunion with infielder Jose Reyes, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the club is “debating internally” whether to pursue him. ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin suggests that the team’s thinking has shifted in recent days, as sources had previously suggested there was little chance of a match (Twitter link).

It’s not difficult to see the connection on paper. Reyes had his greatest success with New York before leaving the organization via free agency before the 2012 campaign. Though his bat and glove have faded more recently, the Mets are desperate to bolster an infield that is currently missing Lucas Duda and David Wright.

MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets that the Mets believe Reyes could play third base, though to this point in his career he has exclusively been a middle infielder (appearing almost entirely at shortstop). In theory, the switch-hitter could share time at the hot corner with Wilmer Flores. Either or both could also move around the infield as needed.

Now at the tail end of the deal he signed with the Marlins, Reyes is in quite a different spot than the last time he was on the open market. He has been traded twice and was recently designated for assignment by the Rockies. (Though he is still in DFA limbo, Reyes will ultimately clear waivers without a claim.) In the interim, he not only exhibited some erosion of ability on the field but served a suspension after being arrested and charged with domestic violence against his wife. While those charges were dropped, there’s little question that Reyes comes with serious questions beyond those of most aging ballplayers.

Reyes had continued to deliver above-average offensive production over the first three years of his big contract, but only slashed .274/.310/.378 over 519 plate appearances last year. Defensive metrics haven’t loved his glove for quite some time, though perhaps the lack of range would be less of an issue at third or second.

All said, it’s not clear that Reyes would represent a solution, but the Mets wouldn’t necessarily need him to represent more than a fill-in piece. There are still nearly six weeks until the trade deadline, so New York could simply look to hold things over while weighing more significant additions. And since Reyes is still being paid by the Rockies, the Mets could simply pay him the minimum for whatever time he spends at the major league level. Still, given the serious baggage and the lack of a positive recent track record, it’s far from obvious that Reyes would be a worthwhile target.

NL Notes: Mets, Reyes, Padres, Schwarber

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The Mets bringing back soon-to-be free agent shortstop Jose Reyes is a “long shot,” a source told Newsday’s David Lennon, who reports that the door isn’t closed on the possibility. As of now, the Mets are in wait-and-see mode with the 33-year-old Reyes, whom the Rockies designated for assignment earlier this week on the heels of a subpar 2015 showing and, more importantly, a 52-game domestic violence suspension. Reyes would bring much-needed speed to a Mets team with the fewest stolen bases in the National League (13), notes Lennon, who adds that he’d come at a cheap price and, unlike other options, wouldn’t require the club to trade prospects. If the Mets do reunite with Reyes, they’d likely put him at second base and move Neil Walker to third to replace the injured David Wright, per Lennon. During his Mets tenure from 2003-11, Reyes hit a terrific .292/.341/.441 in 4,840 plate appearances, racked up 380 steals, made the All-Star team four times and accounted for 30.7 fWAR.

More from Queens and two other NL destinations:

  • The Mets agreed to trade right-hander Zack Wheeler to the Brewers last summer for Carlos Gomez, but that deal fell through because of concerns over the outfielder’s health. A year later, the Mets have “close to zero interest” in using Wheeler as deadline trade bait, a source informed Lennon. Wheeler could return next month from 2015 Tommy John surgery, and the Mets regard him as either a key down-the-stretch piece in a potential six-man rotation or an option for their bullpen.
  • Padres ace Tyson Ross threw a bullpen session Saturday, his first since succumbing to right shoulder inflammation in early April, according to Carlos Collazo of MLB.com. Ross remains a long way off from returning to the majors, though, said manager Andy Green. That would seem to decrease the already fading chances of Ross going anywhere prior to the deadline.
  • One of Ross’ rotation mates, fellow righty Andrew Cashner, has been on the disabled list since June 11 with a strained neck. Cashner still isn’t ready to throw a BP session and will miss longer than the minimum 15 days as a result, tweets AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Cashner, like Ross, was regarded as a valuable trade chip for the Padres entering the season. However, the 29-year-old Cashner has likely hurt his stock with two DL stints and less-than-stellar production (4.75 ERA, 6.1 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 across 53 innings).
  • Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber is “hitting all his range of motion checkpoints exactly on schedule,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Schwarber, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL and LCL in his left knee on April 7, is currently on track to return for spring training next year. In the meantime, he assisted the Cubs during the amateur draft earlier this month. “’Schwarbs’ sat in the draft room with us while the team was away,” said Epstein. “He’s always looking for ways to contribute to the organization. He added some levity to the room.”

Cafardo’s Latest: Gray, A’s, Giants, Twins, Pads

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Athletics executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane is elite at maximizing players’ values, opines the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, who writes that Beane is in prime position to shine as this year’s trade deadline approaches. The last-place A’s, who are likely to sell, have appealing trade chips like outfielder Josh Reddick, starter Rich Hill and relievers Ryan Madson, Sean Doolittle and John Axford. None will be as intriguing as 26-year-old right-hander Sonny Gray if the A’s put him on the block, though. The A’s are unsure about whether to make Gray available, per Cafardo, who reports that double-digit scouts from contenders take in each of his starts.

More rumblings from Cafardo:

  • The Giants are aggressively shopping for relief help and a middle-of-the-order hitter to fill the void left by the injured Hunter Pence. Bullpen possibilities include Twins righty Kevin Jepsen and southpaw Fernando Abad, both of whom the Giants have recently scouted. As far as the outfield goes, any of Ryan Braun – whom the Giants have discussed with Milwaukee – struggling Padre Matt Kemp or free agent Carl Crawford could end up in San Francisco. Kemp has recovered at the plate from a nightmarish May this month, but he remains a defensive liability who’s owed $21.5MM annually through 2019.
  • Jepsen and Abad aren’t the only Twins who might change uniforms this summer. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe and infielder Eduardo Nunez could also pique contenders’ interest. Nunez is surprisingly excelling this year, hitting .318/.348/.485 with nine home runs and 16 steals – the fifth-highest total in the majors – through 249 plate appearances. He’s on a mere $1.48MM salary this season and is scheduled to make one more trip through arbitration.
  • The Red Sox, Royals and Blue Jays are potential landing spots for Padres center fielder Jon Jay, who’s batting a solid .299/.345/.410 through his first 287 PAs of a contract year. Jay, 31, is earning $6.23MM this season.
  • With Colorado having designated him for assignment Wednesday, 33-year-old shortstop Jose Reyes will soon be looking for a new home, and the scuffling White Sox are a team to watch. Chicago already released one veteran shortstop, Jimmy Rollins, earlier this week. His replacement, 22-year-old prospect Tim Anderson, has gone 9 of 34 with four extra-base hits, nine strikeouts and no walks.

Latest On Jose Reyes

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The Rockies acted decisively on Wednesday of this week, designating Jose Reyes for assignment rather than affording him the opportunity to settle into a bench role upon returning from his suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy. Said manager Walt Weiss today in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link): “To bring in Reyes, we were going to lose either [Cristhian] Adames or [Daniel] Descalso. … Adames is a young player who’s a very good player, there’s not a lot of at-bats for him or innings for him right now because we got three potential All-Stars in the infield. … Don’t want to lose him, especially at his age. And Descalso has meant so much to this club and in the clubhouse. He’s one of those guys that’s been the constants of our team, and he’s swinging the bat very very well. … You’re going to lose one of those guys if you bring in Reyes. And Story, certainly is going to be looking over his shoulder if that’s the case. For our club, for the culture of our club and what we’re doing right now and the good thing we’ve got going, I think it was going to be counterproductive. I think it’s the best thing for Jose, too.”

Here’s the latest on Reyes, who figures to be released in the coming days…

  • ESPN’s Alex Cora tweeted yesterday that the Royals have looked into Reyes as a second base option following the DFA of Omar Infante, though his colleague Jerry Crasnick later tweeted that while there was a brief inquiry, it may have been little more than due diligence. Both Whit Merrifield and Christian Colon are playing well right now, so there isn’t necessarily a clear need to take a chance on Reyes. MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, meanwhile, tweeted that rumors suggesting that the Royals have interest in Reyes were “simply not true.”
  • Neither the Yankees nor the Mets have interest in adding Reyes, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Some Mets fans have expressed hope that the team will pursue a reunion with its former All-Star shortstop in the wake of injuries throughout the infield, but Heyman writes that a reunion for the two sides “simply isn’t in the offing” despite a potential need in the infield. Newsday’s David Lennon writes that having spoken to people close to Reyes, a reunion with the Mets would be his preference, and Reyes is willing to move over to third base. That, of course, is largely inconsequential if there’s no interest from the Mets’ side of the equation, and both Heyman and ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin have reported that to be the case since Reyes was designated on Wednesday.
  • The Rockies never wanted Reyes in the first place, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today, but his inclusion in last summer’s trade helped to offset Troy Tulowitzki’s remaining salary and allowed the team to add a trio of intriguing of young arms to to its minor league ranks. Colorado has been trying to trade Reyes since last July without success, Nightengale writes, and ultimately his suspension and off-field issues left the team with no choice but to release him. “It’s fair to say it was responsible to the situation and to the organization that we talk through every sort of conceivable situation,” GM Jeff Bridich said following Reyes’ DFA. “We certainly had enough time to do that. At the end of the day, we determined that it was best we part ways — best for the direction of the organization, best for what was going on in the clubhouse and best for Jose.”

AL East Notes: Souza, Cobb, Jays, Sox, O’Day, Yankees

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The Rays sent right fielder Steven Souza to the 15-day disabled list yesterday due to a strained muscle in his left hip, as MLB.com’s Sam Blum writes. Souza sustained the injury on Tuesday when making a diving attempt at a sinking liner off the bat of Nelson Cruz. He came up just shy of making the catch, and upon getting to his feet had difficulty remaining upright, ultimately falling back to the turf after making the throw into the infield. X-rays taken on his hip were negative, and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that Souza will receive a cortisone injection to help with the pain. Souza’s hope for now, according to Topkin, is that he can return in the minimum two weeks. The 27-year-old Souza is hitting .255/.315/.443 with 10 homers on the season and has played a solid right field this season. In his absence, the Rays have called up Jaff Decker (as seen on their updated depth chart), and he’ll share some of the duties with Mikie Mahtook.

More from the AL East…

  • In other Rays injury news, injured right-hander Alex Cobb is targeting late July or early August as a return date from 2015 Tommy John surgery, tweets Topkin. That target date would put the 28-year-old on track for a 14- to 15-month recovery from replacement of his ulnar collateral ligament, which took place in early May of 2015. The Rays currently have a full rotation with Chris Archer, Matt Moore, Jake Odorizzi, Drew Smyly and Blake Snell (plus a pair of rotation candidates in the bullpen in Matt Andriese and Erasmo Ramirez), but further injuries or trades could potentially open a spot for Cobb’s return.
  • The Blue Jays could find themselves competing against the majority of their own division for pitching help on the summer trade market, writes Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. The Red Sox and Orioles, in particular, need rotation help and could challenge the Jays as they look to fortify their own collection of starters. The fact that right-hander Aaron Sanchez will inevitably move to the bullpen to limit his innings looms large over the Blue Jays, Nicholson-Smith notes, and while that move (plus the return of Brett Cecil) could eliminate a separate need for relief help, the Blue Jays are light on depth in the rotation. Right-hander Drew Hutchison is throwing well at Triple-A and is expected to return to the rotation later this summer, but as Nicholson-Smith points out, any injury to a starter after Hutchison’s return would severely compromise the team’s depth. Veteran lefty Wade LeBlanc is probably the next line of defense, and while he’s throwing brilliantly in Triple-A (1.51 ERA in 83 2/3 innings), his track record in the Majors is fairly limited.
  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski should be fully invested in the 2016 season, even if it means parting with a prized prospect such as outfielder Andrew Benintendi or Rafael Devers in order to bolster the rotation, opines the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. With David Ortiz’s impending retirement and the brilliant performances from other members of the offense (Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, Dustin Pedroia), it’s unlikely that the Sox will receive this level of across-the-board domination from their offense again, and the core of their team is controlled long enough that parting with someone such as Benintendi or Devers is manageable, Abraham writes. In addition to seeking an impact rotation arm and a quality setup piece, Abraham feels that a platoon-mate for Chris Young in left field would be a prudent investment. He suggests Jon Jay as a logical target (though clearly not in connection with Benintendi or Devers), and the fit does indeed make sense for Boston.
  • Catcher/outfielder Blake Swihart could return to the Red Sox in August, writes the Boston Herald’s Evan Drellich. Dombrowski said that the team’s initial timeline on Swihart was six to eight weeks, and early August would be on the further end of that spectrum. Swihart will be reevaluated in the near future, per Dombrowski, but he didn’t seem to think there was any reason to expect a lengthier absence. Dombrowski played it cool when asked about his left field situation, praising Young’s work at the position and adding that he’s confident the team will have Swihart and Brock Holt back in the mix eventually.
  • Orioles righty Darren O’Day, who is currently on the disabled list due to a hamstring injury, offered a fairly vague update on his status on Thursday (links to Twitter via MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko). The Baltimore setup ace is still unsure of when he’ll be able to get back on a mound but conceded that his recovery has been coming along more slowly than he’d expected. O’Day did add that he doesn’t think he’d require more than two rehab appearances to get back up to speed, so when he is able to get back on a mound, his return from that point could be expedited.
  • The Yankees aren’t interested in signing Jose Reyes, writes Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. The Yanks had interest in Reyes following his trade from Toronto to Colorado, but they’re no longer intrigued by the possibility. Reyes was designated for assignment earlier this week and is all but certain to be released by the Rockies.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports profiles one of the more interesting draft stories of the year: Yankees ninth-round pick Tim Lynch. A first baseman out of Southern Mississippi, Lynch was long an avid autograph collector before developing into a legitimate draft prospect. At 14 years of age, needing only Lorenzo Cain’s signature to complete an entire set of Bowman autographs, Lynch picked up a half-dozen donuts and waited for Cain behind the back gate of a minor league stadium, offering him and his teammates a snack in exchange for the completion of the set. Reminded of the exchange by Rosenthal, Cain called it “unreal … crazy, unbelievable” that the donut-wielding autograph collector from nine years ago was drafted by the Yankees. Rosenthal spoke with Lynch about his entire collection, with the 23-year-old senior sign revealing that he’s picked up more than 20,000 signatures in total over the years (100+ from Miguel Cabrera alone) and still hopes to obtain an autograph from Alex Rodriguez now that he’s been drafted by New York.

Rockies Designate Jose Reyes For Assignment

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The Rockies announced today that shortstop Jose Reyes has been reinstated from the restricted list and designated for assignment. Reyes, 33, has been on a minor league rehab assignment after completing a 52-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy but will not get the chance to suit back up for the Rockies, who acquired him in last summer’s Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster as a means of offsetting some of Tulo’s salary for the Blue Jays.

Reyes was arrested in Hawaii on Halloween last year and had charges of domestic abuse filed against him by his wife, though he ultimately plead not guilty, and the charges were dropped shortly before a criminal trial was to occur on Opening Day. Nevertheless, commissioner Rob Manfred saw enough evidence to punish Reyes with a suspension that ran through the end of May and cost him two months of his salary, or roughly $7.09MM.

In Reyes’ absence, the Rockies saw Trevor Story emerge as a unequivocally superior option at shortstop. The power production of Story, who is batting .265/.318/.553 with 17 homers, paired with Reyes’ on-field struggles and off-field baggage, created what would appear to be an easy decision for the Rockies. Colorado had reportedly had some trade talks regarding Reyes, and GM Jeff Bridich in late May wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of moving him, all of which pointed to the possibility that Reyes had played his last game as a member of the Rockies, which is now indeed the case.

The Rockies will have 10 days to trade or release Reyes, though I can’t imagine why they’d waste any time in putting him on release waivers, as they’ve had ample opportunity to work out a trade to this point but had no success. While Colorado saved the aforementioned $7.09MM of Reyes’ $22MM salary due to the suspension, they’ll still pay him $14.9MM this season overall. There’s about $13.1MM of that sum remaining through season’s end, and the Rox will owe him $22MM next season as well in addition to a buyout of $4MM on his 2018 club option.

Other clubs around the league will have the opportunity to sign Reyes for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum once he does clear release waivers — clearly, no team will claim him and that exorbitant salary — though doing so will obviously come with myriad public relations concerns as well as questions about his ability to perform on the field. Despite the offense-inducing nature of Coors Field, Reyes posted just a .259/.291/.368 in 208 plate appearances with Colorado following last year’s trade, and he’s no longer defensively capable of playing even an average shortstop.

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