Colorado Rockies Rumors: Out of the Edwin Encarnacion Hunt?

Are the Colorado Rockies officially out of the running to land free agent first baseman Edwin Encarnacion? According to published reports, it certainly seems that way.

Jim Bowden of ESPN.com has said that several American League teams appear to be the favorites to land the former Blue Jays slugger. There had been talk that Colorado could be a potential landing spot for Encarnacion, but it now seems they are being left behind. Bowden says five American League teams have made offers to the soon-to-be 34-year-old slugger.

Encarnacion hit .263 last season with 42 homers and 127 RBI while earning an All-Star nod. As Ken Rosenthal stated in his article, most National League teams view Encarnacion as a designated hitter rather than a full-time first baseman.

Only two National League teams have been linked with any seriousness to the Encarnacion chase … the Rockies and the Miami Marlins. However, Bowden says the Marlins are passing “because of price and unwillingness to surrender first round pick.”

However, that’s not a problem for the Rockies as they have already lost their first round pick after signing Ian Desmond to a five-year deal. With that move, Colorado surrendered the 11^th overall pick in next year’s draft to the Texas Rangers since they had submitted a qualifying offer to Desmond.

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If the Rockies were to sign Encarnacion, Mark Trumbo or any other slugger to play first base who had received a qualifying offer, Colorado would have to surrender its second-round pick. That price isn’t as tough to swallow.

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While Colorado may not sign Encarnacion, it doesn’t mean that the rumors about the team signing a first baseman will slow down any time soon. Trumbo is still on the market and has been the slugger that Colorado has tried to sign in the past. The Rockies have still been linked to him in several rumors since the offseason began, even after Desmond was signed to be Colorado’s primary first baseman in 2017.