MLB Free Agency: Rockies interested in Ervin Santana?

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies have largely given indications that they are done making moves this off-season. They certainly have not given the impression that they plan to make a big or splashy move between now and Spring Training.

According to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish, the Rockies might be changing course and pursuing another major move this off-season.

Here’s how the Rockies make sense for Santana: because the Kansas City Royals gave Santana a qualifying offer, he will cost most teams a compensatory first round pick. Colorado has a top-10 pick (8th overall), so under this system that first round pick is protected. That positions them a little bit better for the services of a top-tier free agent like Santana.

Here’s how the Rockies don’t make sense for Santana: he still has a chance to command a huge contract, well out of Colorado’s range. Santana opened the off-season with the delusions/ambitions of getting a five-year, $100 million deal. He might not get that much, but it is still likely that a team with more money to spend will feel an increased sense of urgency and pay Santana.

The Toronto Blue Jays are one such team:

Additionally, I still believe that the Seattle Mariners will feel pressure to back up their Robinson Cano signing with another big move, panic and overpay either Santana or Ubaldo Jimenez. Those two teams seem the most likely to sign Santana.

Still, the draft pick compensation system has made free agency fairly unpredictable. Stranger things have happened than Santana landing in Colorado, especially as we get closer to the start of the season.