The moves are the first steps in the Rockies sorting out their 40-man roster.
This morning, the Colorado Rockies announced that RHP Dakota Hudson, RHP Peter Lambert, and OF Jake Cave have elected free agency:
The Rockies announced today the following players have cleared outright waivers and elected free agency in lieu of an assignment to Triple-A:
– RHP Dakota Hudson
– RHP Peter Lambert
– OF Jake CaveThe Rockies have 38 players on the 40-man roster (plus two 60-day IL).
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) October 18, 2024
The moves come as the Rockies start preparing for the 2025 season.
Neither Hudson nor Lambert had notable 2024 seasons.
Hudson, with the Rockies on a one-year deal, had already gone through waivers once and spent a few games with the Albuquerque Isotopes before finishing his season with the Rockies and on the IL. (Read his “Ranking the Rockies” evaluation here.)
Lambert spent part of the season in the Rockies starting rotation and part in the bullpen before finishing in Triple-A Albuquerque. (Read his “Ranking the Rockies” evaluation here.)
As for Cave, he came to the Rockies through a Spring Training trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. Although brought on as a fourth outfielder, Cave would play more innings the originally planned. Ultimately, he had his best season since 2019; however, he remained below replacement-level. (Read his “Ranking the Rockies” evaluation here.)
In the near term, this answers the question of who will be the Rockies fourth outfielder. (Clearly, Sam Hilliard has an obvious advantage as of today.) How the Rockies will address having a veteran presence in the clubhouse remains uncertain given that Cave appeared like a good fit for that role.
The next moves will come when the Rockies announce players who will be added to the 40-man roster, a decision Skyler Timmins previewed on Wednesday.