Colorado Rockies: Four Options for First Base in 2017

Option #1 — Keep Mark Reynolds

Let’s be honest here … Mark Reynolds did a good job for the Rockies last season at first base … and it wasn’t just because of his bat. Former manager Walt Weiss and Nolan Arenado praised his defense in this article. When he went down with his injury in August, it really threw the team for a loop and came at the worst possible time as Colorado was looking like it might contend for a Wild Card spot.

He hit .395 in August right before the hamate bone injury and .300 in the 10 games he played in September after coming back from it. Having the veteran around for just 38 games after the All-Star break was a problem for a Colorado offense that had just lost Trevor Story for the season and was trying to get Carlos Gonzalez back from an ankle injury.

Reynolds would more than likely sign another one-year contract with the Rockies, so this is definitely a stopgap move. More than likely, it would also signal a platoon situation like the Rockies tried to do with Reynolds and Ben Paulsen at the start of 2016.

The Rockies need right-handed power and Reynolds can supply that. But is his power going away? At the age of 33, Reynolds has now endured two seasons of 13 and 14 homers, respectively. This after hitting 20 or more homers in his previous seven seasons. And yes, his 14-homer campaign came while playing his home games at Coors Field for all of you who enjoy discussing the “thin air of Denver.”

Do the Rockies want a platoon situation in a season where they’re gunning for a playoff spot? That’s the biggest question lurking right now. Signing Reynolds would be affordable, but it would also put the Rockies right back into the same position they were in in 2016. For that reason, we don’t think it will happen.