Colorado Rockies news and links for Thursday, October 17, 2024
With the playoffs in full swing and rapidly nearing their conclusion, many are eagerly watching to see who will emerge victorious. At least, that’s the idea. In actuality, the thought of seeing the Dodgers or Yankees take home another World Series trophy is met with revulsion by a large contingent of MLB fans, and they are instead keenly tuned in to see what moves their team will make in this coming offseason.
Yes, it’s that time of year where speculation runs rampant and hopes are high. Who will sign Juan Soto to what will surely be a gargantuan deal? Will Paul Goldschmidt stay in St. Louis? Will Tim Anderson ever land a job in MLB again?
For Rockies fans, there’s much to speculate over. Back-to-back 100-plus loss seasons indicate a need to retool and make some serious adjustments. There are bright spots on the club, of course (check out our Ranking the Rockies series for more on that!), but they’re far from perfect – or even competitive. Might a reunion with some previously-departed talent help to set them on the course to success?
Bullpen Help
Firstly, consider the bullpen. It was a sore spot for Colorado yet again, leading MLB in ERA and setting plenty of undesirable records last season. The Coors faithful may be a bit apprehensive of the idea of bringing in free agent relievers, especially considering the history of such endeavours, but what if the club were to bring back arms that already hold a familiarity with Coors Field and the rigors of pitching at altitude?
Look at Carlos Estévez, for instance. Fresh off of a season split between the Angels and Phillies and having recorded the finest campaign of is career, Estévez was finally able to reach the heights that Rockies fans were hoping he would when pitching here, and will be a highly-sought commodity for many teams in need of back-end help.
Colorado will likely need to shell out a decent sum for his services, but in doing so they’ll be picking up one of the best arms on the free agent market and could very well have their closer of 2025. If the skills he developed during the last two years are retained, Estévez makes a case for the most must-have signing of the winter.
He’s not the only Phillies reliever to target, however. Estévez’s teammate Jeff Hoffman similarly excelled in 2024, turning in a phenomenal effort that earned him his first career All-Star nomination. From an fWAR standpoint, he’s the second-most valuable reliever on the market, and the right-hander was primarily a starter with the Rockies, but Hoffman’s transition to late-inning reliever has yielded fantastic results. He could be in contention for the aforementioned closer role, and the one-two punch of Hoffman and Estévez that worked so well for Philadelphia (well, mostly) could be perfect for Colorado.
It’s not just Phillies relievers that have appeal, though our next candidate is also adorned in red. Brent Suter pitched for the Rockies in 2023 and did very well in the latter innings, at one point being considered a candidate to be moved at the trade deadline and later potentially deserving a contract extension. Instead, he left at season’s end to join the Cincinnati Reds, and once again proved his worth as a veteran relief arm.
A reunion with the Rockies could be beneficial for Suter both because of the environmental impact it allows him to create, as well as allowing him to serve as a mentor to the younger members of the pitching staff while also fine-tuning his own repertoire. If he succeeds, he could once again become a target for contending teams in need of bullpen help at the deadline (though this time, Colorado may be more inclined to oblige).
Position Players
But enough about relievers – what about some help in the field? The Rockies have some decisions to make in regards to their depth, specifically related to who will be the one to hold the spot of fourth outfielder and who will be in contention for an infield bench spot next year.
Garrett Hampson, the super-utility stud that he is, may be worth consideration. His offense is still the weakest part of his game (though he did a commendable job during this year’s American League Division Series), but he provides value on defense and can play very literally anywhere on the diamond. Don’t believe me? He played every single position other than catcher last season for the Royals – yeah, he even pitched (a scoreless inning, too!)
Hampson isn’t likely to add a ton of value on the offensive side of the ball for the Rockies, and therefore his hiring is probably a bit more out there than the others. Still, his defensive ability and utility make him at least an interesting candidate for a Colorado homecoming.
Lastly, I’ll throw a bit of consideration Elías Díaz’s way. The Rockies decided to end their relationship with the veteran backstop in favor of Jacob Stallings and rookie Drew Romo, despite Díaz having a decent – if injury-prone – season. Are they likely to want to bring him back into the fold? Probably not, especially after his work with San Diego didn’t exactly blow anyone away, but with him being such a beloved figure in the clubhouse and his past success, we can’t fully rule out the possibility of a future reunion with him.
Would you want to re-sign any of these players? Are there other former Rockies that you believe would fit the current makeup of the team? Let us know in the comments below!
★ ★ ★
Royals Could Look Into Rockies Slugger To Boost Offense For 2025 | Sports Illustrated
RyMac in Kansas City? It seems ridiculous, but Sports Illustrated makes the case for the Royals to acquire the fan-favorite third baseman.
Ranking Colorado Rockies’ Top 10 prospects as 2024 season comes to a close | The Denver Post ($)
Who doesn’t love a good prospect ranking? DP’s Kyle Newman breaks down his choices for the best of Colorado’s prospects – and spoilers, his list looks a little different than ours.
★ ★ ★
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!