Colorado Rockies: Preview of the 2018-19 offseason and free agency

With the conclusion of a very successful Colorado Rockies season that ended on a sour note, the focus now turns to how the team can advance even further in next year’s postseason.

The 2018 season was one of the best for the Colorado Rockies in franchise history. However, there will be some holes that need to be filled heading into next year. Additionally, there are some areas on the team that can be improved.

In this article, let’s take a look at some of the positions that could see a new face manning them next season for the Rockies. We will look at some of the potential candidates to take over those spots and how that could affect the team.

Of course, we don’t know at the moment if DJ LeMahieu will be back at second base for the Rockies next season. An unrestricted free agent heading into next season, the Rockies seem to have plenty of options to replace him. However, he has also been one of the most impressive players for Colorado, offensively and defensively, since he came over to Colorado from the Chicago Cubs before the 2012 season.

That is a big question mark that must be answered … and one we will examine with possibilities in this piece.

Second Base is another question mark for 2019, simply because we don’t know who it will be with 100% certainty. There are plenty of theories about what the Rockies will do, but one thing we know is that it’s likely the end of the DJ LeMahieu era in Denver, which kind of stinks.

The Options: Second Base

Brendan Rodgers

Bats: R // Throws: R

2019 Opening Day Age: 22

Brendan Rodgers has been thought of as “the future” since the day he was drafted third overall by the Rockies in 2015. Rodgers, the number six overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, is ready to be the next star in Denver. Besides struggling a bit in very limited action at Triple-A in 2018, he’s produced at every level, he’s hit a collective .291/.346/.491 during his four minor league seasons, and playing his home games at Coors Field is his only challenge left. And after dominating some of the more pitcher friendly leagues in the minors, I’m sure he can’t wait to hit in Denver.

Originally drafted as a shortstop, Rodgers has bounced around the infield in the minors playing games at short, second, and third over his four seasons, so if there is a question mark within his game it definitely falls on to his defense. He holds a career .962 fielding %, however his highest percentage of the three positions is at second base with a .981 in 465.1 innings.

If there’s no one brought in through free agency, Rodgers should be the favorite to land the job out of Spring Training, but he may need to work on his defense before the team trusts him with everyday Major League duties.

Daniel Murphy

Bats: L // Throws: R

2019 Opening Day Age: 34

Many thought that Daniel Murphy was a guy the Rockies would add when Washington placed him on waivers in August. They didn’t, and it hasn’t hurt the Rockies not having him, but he could very well be an option for 2019, and if he were to be a Rockie in 2019, it would likely only be for 2019. Anyone not named Brendan Rodgers is likely a placeholder for next year, and Murphy would be a very viable one-year option.

He signed a three-year deal with the Nationals before the 2016 season and had two extremely productive season in D.C., and while injuries have hampered him in 2018, he’s still managed to hit .299/.336/.454 in split time between the Nationals and Cubs. His collective triple slash over the last three seasons, however is astonishing.

Daniel Murphy (DANIEL MURPHY?!) has hit a collective .325/.375/.543 in a little over 1500 late appearances. If a team doesn’t sign him to a multi-year deal, look for the Rockies to possibly kick the tires.

Other options: Garrett Hampson, Logan Forsythe

Okay, now we’re on to a very interesting position, or group of positions. The outfield. Gerardo Parra has a $12 million club option for 2019, but I don’t see the Rockies picking it up, nothing against Gerardo, but that’s a big bump in pay from the last few years, and there’s nothing that says he’s going to have a resurgent year in 2019, he could still be an option, but probably not at $12 million.

Carlos Gonzalez is the other free-agent to be, and we’ll see what the future holds for CarGo after a productive year for him. A lucrative deal may be coming for Gonzalez, but I don’t see the Rockies giving it to him.

Anyway, let’s get into it, and save your comments for until after you read the descriptions, not just the names.

The Options: Outfield

Bryce Harper

Bats: L // Throws: R

2019 Opening Day Age: 26

Alrighty then, let’s do this. Bryce Harper is a bonafide superstar, he’s likely going to sign the largest contract in baseball history this offseason, and I think the Rockies could be a very intriguing destination for the six-time All-Star. Now, I will preface, that this is a deal that you only make if the worries about Nolan Arenado re-signing reach a level that nobody in Colorado wants to think about.

The theory is this, if the Rockies win the NL West this year and Nolan still has reservations about signing, then he’s probably not going to sign. As hard as it is to say, it’s probably time to move on. And going after a Bryce Harper type, who would become even more unbelievable than he already is hitting at Coors Field, would show everyone in Denver that just because Nolan may not be here, the future is bright. And I believe that it’s bright even if neither of them are here.

Bryce is a great hitter, he gets on base at an incredible pace, career .388, he has turned into a very good outfielder, and he’s only going to be 26 on opening day. If you want to compete for years to come, making sure you have a guy like this on your team is a necessity, now it’s looking like Trevor Story will be one of those player so that makes Nolan’s possible exit more palatable anyway, but a guy like Harper would be a monumental move in Rockies history. This is a definitely a complete pipe dream, but a guy can dream can’t he?

A.J. Pollock

Bats: R // Throws: R

2019 Opening Day Age: 31

Ok, now to the more realistic options. This is the second player on this list that the Rockies would kill two birds with if they signed them. Improve your team, and take a valuable player from a rival. Pollock has a 162 game average of 19 homers, 67 RBI, 26 stolen bases and a slash of .281/.338/.467. Too bad he’s only played more than 130 games twice in his career.

Yes, Rockies fans know what it’s like to have the same star player go on the DL for a long period of time seemingly every season. Pollack has played 607 of 972 possible games in his six full seasons for Arizona and only 235 of 486 in the last three seasons. However the production cannot be ignored. In just 111 games this season, he has hit 21 home runs and driven in 65 runs, and has averaged an extra base hit every 8.6 at-bats, that’s production.

In addition, he’s an above average defender, with a career UZR of +21.7, and has spent time at all three outfield positions during his career. Pollock would be a welcome addition to the Rockies, and if the team feels he can stay healthy he very well could find himself playing his home games at Coors Field for the next few seasons.

Marwin Gonzalez

Bats: S // Throws: R

Opening Day Age: 30

Marwin Gonzalez is an extremely interesting option for the Rockies, not only for his bat, but for his versatility. Gonzalez has spent over 500 innings at five different positions during his career, and spent over 130 at four different ones just this past year, and still played almost 150 games.

All this while hitting 39 home runs and driving in 158 runs over the past two seasons. We do need to point out that after a big 2017, that saw him hit 23 homers and drive in 90 runs all while slashing .303/.377/.530, he came back down to earth in 2018, but still hit 16 homers and drive in 68 and slashed .247/.324/.409., but the ability to play many positions, the playoff experience, and the ability be productive at the plate could make Gonzalez a very attractive offseason candidate for Colorado.

Jon Jay

Bats:L // Throws: L

Opening Day Age: 33

Jon Jay has hit at every level he’s ever been, he hit in St. Louis, he hit in San Diego, he hit in Chicago, he hit in Kansas City, and he hit in Arizona. His career slash line of .285/.352/.378 is often overlooked, and he would be a welcome addition as a 4th outfielder to Colorado, and my guess is he would hit here too. Jay has always been a plus defender and his playoff experience (249 career postseason plate appearances) would all be welcomed into the Colorado clubhouse.

Other options: Mike Tauchman, Jordan Patterson, Carlos Gonzalez, Gerardo Parra, Matt Holliday

On to the pitchers! I can’t say enough for what Kyle Freeland and German Márquez have done, but the Rockies have had an up and down year in terms of pitching. Jon Gray has not been an “Ace” type for most of the season, but performed well as of late, Tyler Anderson has been much too inconsistent for my liking, and there has been some problems on the back end of the rotation, although Antonio Senzatela has had a bit of a resurgence and pitched very well in his last few starts of 2018, but the Rockies could look to add a back end starter to sure up the rotation for 2019.

The Bullpen has been, shall I say, weird? After spending a combined $106 million on Wade Davis, Jake McGee, and Bryan Shaw,  you’d think the team wouldn’t need to add much, and while Davis has been lights out most of the second half, McGee and Shaw have largely been busts, and while expecting both of them to be better next year isn’t far-fetched, help is still needed. Righty Seunghwan Oh‘s 2019 salary became fully guaranteed after appearing in his 70th game last week, thus triggering his vesting option for 2019, paying him $2.5 million, according to MLBTradeRumors.com.

Right-handed stud, Adam Ottavino is a free agent and he should be a priority to be brought back, given that he’s been one of the best set-up men in baseball. I should mention that the emergence of Scott Oberg would soften the blow of losing Otto, but keeping him wouldn’t be a bad idea. And going outside of the organization would be positive, given that there are many solid arms that will be out there.

The Options: Starters

Nathan Eovaldi: RHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 29

After missing the back half of 2016 and all of 2017 recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, Nathan Eovaldi has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in 2018 pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox after being traded in July.

Eovaldi’s pitched to the tune of a 6-7 record with a 3.81 ERA in 111 innings, while striking out 101 and only walking 20 batters. He has a career 46.8% ground ball rate, which is a little low for the classic Coors Field hurler, but the fact that he throws strikes and had a very good season pitching in the tough American League East makes him an interesting free-agent candidate.

Wade Miley: LHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 32

A pitcher that the Rockies are familiar with from his days in Arizona (and from his start in Game 3 of the NLDS against them), Wade Miley enjoyed a good season for Milwaukee, albeit in limited time. In 16 starts for the Brewers he has a 2.57 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and 27 walks.

Not a great K/BB ratio, but the bottom line is that he’s gotten guys out, and he’s been a very big help to a surging Brewers team. He’s pitched alright at Coors Field (in the regular season) during his career, 4.47 ERA in 28.1 innings, and could be a viable 5th starter option for the Rockies in 2019.

Matt Harvey: RHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 30

Here’s a name that three years ago you wouldn’t think would pop up on a list like this. Earlier this week Harvey said he was open to anything during his free agency, but “There’s only one team I would not sign with, that’s about it.” Obviously Harvey is referring to the New York Mets, his former squad, and with that statement, the last I checked the Rockies are among the 29 other teams.

Prior to his injury plagued 2016 and 2017 seasons, Matt Harvey was straight up and down dominant. From 2012-2015, minus his 2014 season where he had Tommy John surgery, Harvey was a combined 25-18 with a 2.53 ERA including 449 strikeouts to just 94 walks in 427 innings.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel has struggled since then, going 16-26 with a 5.39 ERA, 286 strikeouts, 109 walks, in 340.1 innings, and battling numerous injuries playing for the Mets and Cincinnati Reds. He’s been better this season with the Reds, and a taking a flyer on a guy like Matt Harvey could end up paying dividends for Colorado, even if he’s just half of his former self.

Peter Lambert: RHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 22

Regardless of whether or not Peter Lambert is in the 2019 Opening Day rotation, Rockies fans should be excited about the future of the young right-hander. He entered 2018 as the Rockies number two overall prospect, and number 83 in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. At double-A Hartford in 15 starts, he had a 2.23 ERA, 75 strikeouts and just 12 walks.

He was roughed up a little bit after getting called up to Triple-A, but still finished the season a combined 10-7 with a 3.28 ERA, 106 strikeouts, and 26 walks in 148 innings. He profiles as a middle of the rotation guy, but could develop in to a solid number two.I wouldn’t expect him to be in the rotation on opening day, but I thought the same thing about Kyle Freeland in 2017, and we all know how that went.

Other Starter Options: Gio Gonzalez, Lance Lynn, Clay Buchholz

The Options: Relievers

Adam Ottavino: RHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 33

This is a priority to me. After a relatively disappointing 2017, Ottavino came back in a huge way in 2018 for Colorado, and and has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball. He ranks in the top 20 in baseball in ERA (2.43) for qualified relievers, fourth in strikeouts (112), 13th in innings pitched (77.2), second in holds (34), and added six saves on top of it all.

The Rockies needed him to be big this year, and he’s stepped up and done everything he could to keep the Rockies ahead and hand the ball over to Wade Davis. Guys with stuff like Ottavino’s usually are, or become closers, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone give him closer money, but I think the Rockies should make a valiant effort to hold on to him.

Trevor Rosenthal: RHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 29

Trevor Rosenthal is going down a similar path to former Rockies’ closer Greg Holland. He had Tommy John Surgery in late 2017, and missed all of 2018 recovering without being signed to a team. He plans to hold a showcase for teams on October 3rd in Irvine, Calif. and I would hope someone from the Rockies attends.

As my other allegiance is with the St. Louis Cardinals, I know very well just how electric this guy can be. The flame-throwing right hander owns a career 2.99 ERA with 435 strikeouts in 325 innings and also has 121 career saves to his name. He routinely sat at 98-100 with his fastball, and even was beginning to have a decent slider as well.

He would be a very smart gamble for the Rockies, but if they want his services there are sure to be plenty of teams to compete with.

Jake Diekman: LHP

2019 Opening Day Age: 32

If you take away his 23 games with Arizona this season, Jake Diekman has been a very reliable pitcher during his seven big league seasons. He owns a career 3.75 ERA as mainly a left-handed specialist, and has pitched in at least 65 games, four times.

Given that Rockies have the three pitchers with the three worst ERAs among qualified relievers in 2018, according to FanGraphs, two of which are left-handed (Chris Rusin, Jake McGee), it’s safe to assume that some left-handed help in the ‘pen is necessary for 2019.

Other Options: Joe Kelly, Jonny Venters, Zach Britton, Brad Brach, Bud Norris, Jerry Blevins

These lists are always fun because it gives you an idea of who’s really out there, this is by no means a list of who the Rockies should sign, simply just guys they could possibly have interest in. Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@tysoncrocker2) who you think the Rockies should go after to help the team next year!

*All stats are as of September 27, 2018