How trades can still happen in August and September

Just because the non-waiver trade deadline ended today at 2 PM MST, it doesn’t mean that trade season is done.

The trade deadline has come and gone but the Rockies still can make a trade (or a few trades) to improve their team for the stretch run and into the playoffs. However, players have to pass through waivers to be traded.

How It Works

First off, a player has to be put on waivers. When you put them on the waivers for the first time, it is revocable so if another club claims a player, the player’s current team can revoke the player off waivers. If a player is claimed by multiple teams, teams that are in the same league and have a worse record get priority. For example, if the Rockies put a player on waivers and the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants claim him. The Phillies and Giants are both in the National League but (entering Monday) have the worst record so they would get the rights to on him.

For note, nearly every player on the Major League roster will be put on waivers to gauge interest by other teams and to have the flexibility to trade somebody.

Once a player is claimed, the Rockies can do one of three things: work out a trade with the team within 48 hours, let the player go, or remove the player off waivers.

If no team claims that player within 48 hours, the player then “clears waivers” and the team is free to trade the player to whomever they choose (obviously, if the player has a no-trade clause or 10-and-5 rights (ten years in the majors with at least five with the team) they still could reject a trade).

If waivers are revoked, the player can be put on waivers a second time and if he is claimed again, the team must let the player go (free of any money or players in return so, obviously, this is a risk).

Trades in September

The Rockies could make a trade in September (through waivers still) but that player would be ineligible for postseason play (so, obviously, player’s with much value on the Major League roster won’t be traded to the Rockies during this time).

August trades completed by the Rockies before

In Rockies’ history, trades in August have been scarce as there have only been three trades going back to 2007.

The last trade that the Rockies have had was on August 6, 2011 when the Rockies traded utility man Alfredo Amezaga to the Marlins for minor leaguer, Jesus Merchan. You may remember that exactly one week prior, the Rockies traded starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians on July 31, 2011 (in a trade that didn’t work for either team).

The last August trade the Rockies had before that was on August 31, 2009 when the Rockies traded minor leaguer Brandon Nynick to the Chicago White Sox for reliever Jose Contreras for the stretch run into the postseason.

The Rockies made another August trade in 2007 for pitcher Ramon Ortiz from the Minnesota Twins for utility infielder Matt Macri on August 15. Ortiz had an ERA at 7.62 with the Rockies so that trade did not work out well.

Next: What the Jonathan Lucroy trade means for the Rockies

Final Thoughts

I think that a trade could happen in August for the Rockies. It would probably be for a low level starter or a reliever. After all, in their last two postseason runs in 2007 and 2009, they did just that.