Top Trade Candidates the Colorado Rockies Will Shop at the Deadline

After failing to come to an agreement with any of the other 29 clubs in Major League Baseball in 2022, the Colorado Rockies changed tact to make four deals at the 2023 trade deadline to improve the future of their franchise.

Two of the players they received — RHP Victor Vodnik and RHP Tanner Gordon — have already debuted to aid the Rockies this season, while three others rank among the team’s top 30 prospects. Considering these positive results, one might be led to believe GM Bill Schmidt will be active once again.

However, with no track record of this behavior in consecutive campaigns and the potential for a second-straight season of 100+ losses, there’s simply no predicting how Colorado will operate ahead of the July 30 deadline.

With no less than 15 players that could qualify as trade targets, here’s what the Rockies have to offer:

3B Ryan McMahon

As a famed scholar and Hall of Fame ballplayer Yogi Berra once said, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.” This time last year, the Rockies lone selection to the All-Star Game (Elias Díaz) was their best trade chip. Five veterans were shipped away, but not Díaz. 

Even before McMahon revealed at the Midsummer Classic media availability on Monday that a conversation with Schmidt put the rumors to rest, there was little chance Colorado would deal a homegrown talent beloved by fans.

“We had a good talk, talked about it, and we came to the conclusion that I’m going to stay a Rockie,” the first-time All-Star said.

The 29-year-old third baseman is on pace for career-high marks across the board after sticking close to his three-year average of 22 home runs, 74 RBI and .246 batting average from 2021-23.

While he hasn’t improved defensively, he hasn’t needed to change anything following three consecutive campaigns as an NL Gold Glove Award Finalist at the hot corner. 

Under contract through the 2027 season for a reasonable $44 million, Colorado views McMahon as a cornerstone player for their franchise during this transition period. Drafted in 2012 and one of two remaining position players along with Charlie Blackmon from the 2017-18 postseason runs, RyMac is staying put despite the promise of a return that could help the franchise during a period when the current crop of prospects begin to impact the big league roster.

DH/OF Charlie Blackmon and RHP Germán Márquez

The market for these two players is far less than what it is for McMahon, but one thing is the same: neither of these players are going anywhere.

Blackmon is still owed roughly $5.2 million for the remainder of the year, or what the Minnesota Twins are paying Carlos Santana this entire season to man first base. Is part of that $13 million deal Colorado gave the 38-year-old to ensure he finishes his career in purple to become the second career-Rockie following Todd Helton?

You wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that was part of the rationale.

Márquez is in a similar position on the pitching side. In his first start last Sunday following Tommy John surgery in May ‘23, the 29-year-old set a new franchise record for most career strikeouts with Colorado. The rest of 2024 will be about regaining some normalcy before Márquez aims to take his ace-like form in 2025. At $10 million next season, he is an absolute bargain for any club looking to improve this season and next.

RHP Cal Quantrill and LHP Austin Gomber

Potential Fits: Boston, Minnesota, Houston, Milwaukee

Two reputable starting pitchers with another year of club control and available via the trade market.

On the Rockies?!

The returns of Kyle Freeland and Márquez in recent weeks, plus the likelihood of a healthy Antonio Senzatela for 2025 actually allows Colorado to deal from a position of strength.

Quantrill is the prize of the pair. A quality start machine with a track record of full-season success from his time with the Cleveland Guardians, he’s elevated teammates with his mentality at altitude.

The most impressive stat line for the second-generation pitcher is his 3.15 ERA at Coors Field in seven starts. Thanks to development of his splitter, Quantrill has redesigned the image of success to fit the harsh environs of Denver.

Before two rough road starts ahead of the All-Star break, the 29-year-old had a 3.50 ERA through his first 17 starts. Scratching out his first two starts of the year — also away from home — brings Quantrill’s ERA down to 2.89 with 10 quality starts in 14 tries.  Peripherals show he’s benefitted from some luck which is something not a lot of Rockies pitchers have ever been able to say.

Gomber is much harder to define through the numbers as he’s incredibly streaky. He can look like one of the better left-handers in the game for weeks at a time, as we saw in May with his 0.68 ERA across four outings. Then, he can appear to be a starter in need of a stint in the bullpen to figure out a few things as was the case for two months in 2022. (Furthermore, Gomber gave up more earned runs in each of his five starts in June than he did during the entire month of May.)

Since that outstanding second month of the season, his 7.24 ERA suggests he’ll need to show a lot over his final starts before July 30 if a team is going to part with a prospect for Gomber’s services.

C Elias Díaz and C Jacob Stallings

Potential Fits: Cleveland, Chicago (NL), Pittsburgh, San Diego

Few teams value a veteran presence behind the plate more than Colorado. Even after being named the 2023 All-Star Game MVP, following a first-half that saw him hit .277 with nine home runs and 45 RBI as the club’s cleanup hitter, the Rockies could not part with their most valuable trade asset.

This year, with two months remaining until he reaches free agency and top catching prospect Drew Romo chomping at the bit in Triple-A, it may finally be time to cash in.

Same is true for Jacob Stallings, who is in the midst of one of his best offensive seasons at age 34. The 2021 Gold Glove Award winner signed to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2025. Stallings was viewed as somewhat of an heir apparent to Díaz.

Now, with both players contributing on both sides of the ball, Schmidt could operate in the same way as with his starting pitchers: best offer decides which one stays and which one goes.

The presence of Romo coupled with Hunter Goodman looking solid in his few opportunities behind the plate will put owner Dick Monfort at ease. A potential to reunite with Díaz in the offseason suggests this is the one area where the Rockies can be more aggressive.

LHP Jalen Beeks and RHP Tyler Kinley

Potential Fits: Boston, Yankees, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Arizona, Chicago (NL), Kansas City

Beeks leads the club with nine saves and Kinley has the second-most with five. That wasn’t the plan entering 2024 with incumbent Justin Lawrence looking to take another step forward following a breakout in 2023. Alas, manager Bud Black has been desperate for outs late in games and the matchups for these two setup men have been less than stellar than they would have been in a more talented bullpen.

In non-save situations (3.20 ERA), Beeks has pitched like the quality left-handed reliever he showed to be from 2018-22 before a tough 2023. With the game on the line late, a spot he didn’t experience much with the Tampa Bay Rays, his 6.97 ERA in save situations tamps down any value that his nine saves would appear to hold. Some teams may give him a pass considering he’s been better in high leverage situations (.737 OPS against) than medium (.839 OPS against).

Kinley has not yet regained his pre-Tommy John form when he gave up just two earned runs in 25 appearances in 2022. There are 28 scoreless appearances to point at over his 42 outings this season, but a 7.65 ERA will detract from the appeal of his $3 million contract in 2025 and $5 million club option for 2026.

2B Brendan Rodgers

Potential Fits: Seattle, New York (AL), Boston

This time two years ago, Rodgers was putting up some of the best offensive numbers of his career en route to his first Gold Glove Award at second base. Since then, he missed time with a shoulder dislocation and has failed to ascend the level of play first witnessed in 2022.

Rodgers is hitting more ground balls and less fly balls than in the past. Hard hit percentage is also down. Next year will be his third and final year of arbitration. Settling at $3.2 million with the Rockies this year means the figure will be reasonable for whichever club he plays with in 2025.

With prospect Adael Amador waiting in the wings and only one additional year of club control for Rodgers, the writing is on the wall for Colorado to move on from the third overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft.

OF Jake Cave and RHP Dakota Hudson

Potential Fits: Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Kansas City

Fourth outfielder types and no. 6 starters don’t often fetch much at the trade deadline, but several teams will be dialing the 720 area code to bolster the back end of their roster.

Cave has been a pleasant surprise in Colorado, providing a veteran presence for an inexperienced clubhouse while creating a few memorable moments for Rockies’ fans. His left-handed bat won’t provide much power and his defense has been league average, but he can play center field and is 3-for-8 (.375) this year as a pinch-hitter.

Hudson was recently designated for assignment and even cleared waivers before accepting a position in Colorado’s Triple-A rotation with the Albuquerque Isotopes. He pitched better than his 2-12 record may suggest, mostly because he received only 28 runs of support in his 17 starts. His 5.82 ERA did not help his cause much either.

RHP Daniel Bard, RHP Antonio Senzatela and 1B/DH Kris Bryant

This trio of players is currently on the injured list, with only Bryant missing from the 60-day IL.

Following 54 saves for the Rockies from 2021-22, Bard signed a two-year, $19 million extension at the end of 2022. Since then, Bard has recorded only save and will miss the remainder of 2024 after undergoing flexor tendon surgery on his right forearm. He plans on making a return to the Majors in 2025.

Senzatela is recovering from Tommy John surgery and may make his return in September before being counted on to rejoin the rotation in 2025. He still has two more years remaining on his five-year, $50.5 million extension signed at the end of 2021.

Bryant is currently on the IL with a left rib contusion and oblique strain and starting a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday. In his first three seasons with Colorado, he’s batting .247 with 17 home runs and 55 RBI through 146 games played. At this stage of his career, the Rockies would need to pay down almost the entirety of the $108 million owed to him for the next four years if they were to ever trade Bryant.