Colorado Rockies Rumors: Two More Options at First Base
By Kevin Henry
In his recent article on ESPN.com, David Schoenfield throws out a scenario where Charlie Blackmon would be dealt to the Texas Rangers in exchange for first baseman Joey Gallo and left-handed pitcher Andrew Faulkner.
Of course, losing Chuck Nazty would be a blow to the Colorado offense and take away the Rockies’ main threat on the bases. We’ve already detailed how Colorado will probably not be the speediest team in the Majors this season in this article. Take away Blackmon and that number drops even more.
The Rangers need a center fielder and the Rockies need a first baseman. The trade makes sense on the surface, but there’s a deeper level to it as well. As Schoenfield points out, the Rockies could get more years out of a Gallo signing than Blackmon. However, the Rockies would be taking a huge chance on Gallo, who has flashed power in his time in Texas but has also been a strikeout liability. Last season, in just 17 games and 30 plate appearances with the Rangers, Gallo whiffed 19 times.
Faulkner also struggled in 2016, with opponents hitting .286 against him as he posted a 6.75 ERA. He would add a left-hander into the Colorado bullpen but, like Gallo, it would be taking a big chance on a big turnaround in Denver.
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As you can see, there are plenty of options out there for the Rockies at first base. Some involve a trade and some involve signing a free agent. Either way, Colorado will have to find the right first baseman without sacrificing too much in any other area of the team.