The Rockies pulled off a last-second trade to complete their wheeling and dealing before the deadline, sending reliever Victor Vodnik to the Marlins in exchange for Connor Norby and a starting pitching prospect.
Vodnik had a 5.25 ERA in 33 games this season, and a 4.31 ERA in 155 games over the past four seasons. In Norby, the Rockies get a versatile corner infielder who is under club control for four more years.
Plus, Colorado got right-handed prospect Aiden May in the deal, who has a 3.80 ERA in 14 starts in High-A this season. May, a second-round pick in 2024 out of Oregon State, has a 4.13 ERA in 24 minor-league games. He doesn’t give up many homers, with a career 0.7 homers/per nine rate.
Norby, who can also play second base, is hitting .205 with 4 homers in 65 games this season while also spending some time in Triple-A. His best season since debuting for the Orioles in 2024 was ’25, when he hit .251 in 88 games for Miami. That’s the most games in a season he’s played in his career as he’s dealt with an array of injuries, including a broken hamate bone last year. He will start for the Rockies in Triple-A Albuqurque.
The right-handed Vodnik was originally acquired in a 2023 deadline trade with the Braves in exchange for reliever Pierce Johnson, a deal that also brought Colorado Tanner Gordon. Vodnik served as the Rockies’ on-and-off closer over the past three years, with 23 saves and 14 blown saves. His fastball averages 98.6 mph, which ranks in the 96th pitching percentile, and he also includes grounders at at 55.6% rate (95th percentile).
The Vodnik trade was the final four four deals Colorado made heading into the deadline, with three of them coming on Monday. After trading Seth Halvorsen to the Dodgers on July 20, the Rockies also shipped Brenton Doyle to the White Sox and Antonio Senzatela to the Brewers on Monday before closing with the Vodnik deal.
This story will be updated.
