Colorado Rockies rumors: The latest post-Christmas update

With Christmas now in the rearview mirror and New Year’s Day directly ahead of us, there is a chance that there could be some movement on the Hot Stove this week involving the Colorado Rockies. Let’s take a quick look at some of the latest rumors involving the team.

While we discussed with the recently designated for assignment Adrian Gonzalez could bring to the Rockies in this article, Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding that the team is not in discussions with the five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner. Will Colorado still make a move to shore up first base? If so, it sounds like Gonzalez will not be part of the mix, even though he can be signed for the league minimum.

The latest on the Greg Holland front is that Colorado and Holland are still talking but things are “taking a bit longer than they thought,” Jon Heyman says in this article. According to Heyman, Bridich was ill in the days before Christmas and that may have held up the process a bit.

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Heyman also says that the Rockies are talking to closer Wade Davis and Boston’s Addison Reed as well. While it is highly improbable that Colorado would land Holland, Davis and Reed (or even potentially multiple members of that trio), a bullpen containing that kind of talent is certainly tantalizing. Heyman uses the term “super bullpen” in his article, talking about the Rockies already having Bryan Shaw, Jake McGee and Adam Ottavino in the fold. Overlooked in that conversation is Colorado’s Mike Dunn, who was 3-0 with a 3.27 ERA after the All-Star break last year.

Conversations surrounding Jay Bruce and the Rockies have cooled as not much has been reported over the last couple of weeks. However, he has been linked to the San Francisco Giants prominently in recent days. That takes another potential option for the outfield away from the Rockies as they look to replace Carlos Gonzalez, who likely won’t be back with the team in 2018.

Next: What Colorado's 2018 batting order might look like

On the surface, the Rockies still need to figure out what they will be doing about a corner outfielder and first baseman next season. Ian Desmond could be slotted in both spots … but not at the same time. Will Ryan McMahon take over first base as has been rumored he will, freeing up Desmond to join Charlie Blackmon and Gerardo Parra in the outfield? That is one of the biggest questions facing the Rockies as the calendar prepares to flip to 2018.