Colorado Rockies trade talk: Ranking the team’s top three needs

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 18: Wilson Ramos #40 of the Tampa Bay Rays is greeted in the dugout after a two run home run in the third inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium on May 18, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 18: Wilson Ramos #40 of the Tampa Bay Rays is greeted in the dugout after a two run home run in the third inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium on May 18, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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Ian Desmond of the Colorado Rockies
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 06: Ian Desmond #20 of the Colorado Rockies connects on a solo home run in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 6, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Plenty has come out in recent hours about the Colorado Rockies potentially pursuing some arms at the upcoming trade deadline. The Rockies have been linked to Kevin Gausman, Dylan Bundy and Zach Britton of the Baltimore Orioles while one national writer said the Rockies were looking at pitchers from multiple teams.

So with all of these sudden rumors, that means that the Rockies should go after pitching at the trade deadline, right? It’s crazy to think about after an offseason where Colorado spent big money on Jake McGee, Wade Davis and Bryan Shaw to form a “super bullpen,” but the Rockies may be getting ready to spend more resources (including some prospects) to acquire another piece to the bullpen.

A month ago, if you had asked Rockies fans what they thought the Rockies needed to do at the trade deadline, many would have responded that Colorado should go after a first baseman. Ian Desmond started the season in, shall we say, a less-than-desirable way, hitting .154 in April and .215 in May. However, just as he improved from April to May, he has also gotten better in every month since then, hitting .261 in June and .339 so far in July. With 19 homers and 58 RBI and an OPS of .777 (not earth-shattering but better than his .509 OPS in April), Colorado doesn’t have a first baseman at the top of its list … or so it seems.

So what are the priorities for the Rockies as the trade deadline approaches? Let’s take a look at the top 3…

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