The Rockies are creeping their way toward becoming obvious sellers at the July 31 trade deadline. Just this month, they’ve fallen from first place to eight games back behind Arizona. With the hopes of their first NL West crown – or even a wild-card spot – fleeting, the question isn’t so much of if the Rockies deal, but who?
We know, because we’re adults who can use common sense, that getting rid of Nolan Arenado is off the table. He’s on contract through 2020, and in a perfect world, Colorado will sign the best third baseman in the world to a long-term blockbuster deal. Thatap the goal. The problem in doing that, though – other than Colorado needing to make sure it has enough money to offer him – is that Arenado has said he wants to play for a club thatap regularly in the playoffs, an identity the Rockies lack.
We also know that no executive in their right mind would want to take one of Colorado’s high-priced relievers who can barely manage to record an out.
Who could the Rockies trade?
Everybody loves him, and he was the hero in Thursday’s victory that snapped a nine-game losing streak in the division, but dumping D.J. LeMahieu at the trade deadline is looking more appetizing. The 2016 NL batting champ is hitting .280 with eight homers and 30 RBIs this summer. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2019, and Colorado has shown no signs of extending his deal in Denver. If he’s not in the Rockies’ long-term plans, likely thanks in part to versatile infield prospects Ryan McMahon and Brendan Rodgers on the farms, why not get something for him this year?
There’s Jon Gray, who played into columnist Mark Kiszla’snarrative of having a million-dollar arm but 10-cent head Thursday in San Francisco when he struck out seven in four innings, but allowed five earned runs and surrendered a 5-2 lead. He has a 5.77 ERA thatap showing no signs of significant improvement. Trading Gray, who enters arbitration next year, would mean giving up on a former third overall pick. He has plenty of talent, but something between him and the Rockies isn’t clicking.
Trading Gray could also bring at least the potential of packaging his personal catcher Tony Wolters (.146 average, .487 OPS), which, perhaps most importantly, would solve the issue of carrying three catchers on the active roster.
There are more options out there, but what do you think? Who do you think the Rockies should trade this season, or are you holding out realistic hope they find a way to make a push for October?
— , The Denver Post
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What’s on Tap?
- MLB: Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:10 p.m. Friday, ATTRM | Pitching matchup
- World Cup: France vs. Argentina, 7:45 a.m. KDVR-31
- World Cup: Uruguay vs. Portugal, 11:45 a.m. KDVR-31
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Scoreboard
MLB: Rockies 9, Giants 8
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