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Colorado Rockies: Predicting who will be All-Stars in 2020

By Colin Gaiser |
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: David Dahl #26 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his eighth inning two run home run against the New York Mets with teammate Raimel Tapia #15 at Citi Field on June 07, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: David Dahl #26 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his eighth inning two run home run against the New York Mets with teammate Raimel Tapia #15 at Citi Field on June 07, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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DENVER, CO – JULY 15: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies fields a ground ball at third base in the first inning during game two of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on July 15, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JULY 15: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies fields a ground ball at third base in the first inning during game two of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on July 15, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies sent four representatives to the Midsummer Classic in 2019 – not bad for a sub-.500 team – and there is plenty more All-Star-worthy talent to go around.

The soon-to-be-defending-World Champions should have a host of players gunning for a spot in the 2020 All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Or maybe not! Let’s break down the possible situation.

Almost a Sure Thing

Nolan Arenado

I don’t need to say much about Arenado. He is one of the faces of the league, and his consistency on both offense and defense is remarkable. His fWAR was 5.7 the last two seasons and he’s hit at least 37 home runs since 2015. Four seasons in a row with a Gold Glove, All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger award will make you a household name.

Also, we would love to see Arenado in a Home Run Derby. You know the guy would take it very seriously.

In Contention

Jon Gray

Gray is the best pitcher in the Rockies rotation right now, and it ain’t close. Maybe there’s some magic in that atrocious haircut. He’s cracking the code of pitching in Coors – a 3.24 ERA and 3.59 FIP at home versus a 4.29 ERA and 4.27 FIP on the road.

If he can continue this pace and find more consistency on the road, will voters reward him for taming Coors? (Probably not, but they should.)

DENVER, COLORADO – JUNE 28: Pitcher Scott Oberg #45 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on June 28, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – JUNE 28: Pitcher Scott Oberg #45 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on June 28, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Scott Oberg

Oberg was disgracefully robbed from the 2019 All-Star Game; his first-half ERA of 1.24 was the second-lowest in the National League.

And this was probably his best shot of being an All-Star. Given the rocky road of relief pitching, asking the same thing out of another half-season is a stretch.

Charlie Blackmon

Blackmon is another “face of the league,” but will Chuck Nazty continue to deliver? He’s lost some pep in his step in the outfield (he’s currently sporting a rough -1.2 dWAR, and the eye test is not pretty), though it’s not like poor defense makes a big difference to All-Star voters. And if the season ended today Blackmon would have the second-best OPS of his career at .995.

However, Blackmon will be 34 by July of next season. Younger outfielders like Juan Soto or Hunter Renfroe will be gunning for that spot. It will be a legitimate challenge for Blackmon to make a fourth consecutive All-Star Game.

Trevor Story

Story’s strikeout percentage has crept back up to 26.8 percent this season, while his offensive statistics are a little down. Plus, the cast of NL shortstops is improving, such as Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres and even Nick Ahmed.

Thankfully the should-be Gold Glover will continue to turn heads with web gems on defense, but will it be enough to earn him a third consecutive appearance?

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 05: David Dahl #26 of the Colorado Rockies reacts to a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 05, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 05: David Dahl #26 of the Colorado Rockies reacts to a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 05, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Long Shots

David Dahl

Obviously I was psyched for Dahl to be a 2019 All-Star, but I was skeptical he earned the spot over some other NL outfielders. The same will probably apply next season.

He will likely need more than a .308/.352/.530 slash line with 12 home runs in the first half of 2020 to book a ticket.

German Marquez

Let’s ignore this disastrous recent stretch for Marquez. When he is on, with command of his secondary pitches, he is almost impossible to crack.

Look at the last two months of 2018 – he posted a 2.24 ERA while striking out 110 batters and only walking 16 in 80.1 innings. Recapturing that form seems like a tall order right now, but no one can question the talent is there.

Daniel Murphy

Murphy just captured his first NL Player of the Week award in six years, and the Rockies are finally seeing the reliable bat they sought in acquiring Murphy. After a slow start and an injury marred his introduction to Colorado, Murphy’s slash line is .294/.346/.298 – a remarkable recovery.

Obviously, his defense is rough (-0.6 dWAR this season) and he has classic Coors home/road splits (.932 home OPS versus .749 on the road). But he certainly has name recognition on his side. If can start 2020 injury-free and raking, he could earn his first All-Star selection since 2017.

DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 30: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on May 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 30: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on May 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

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Wishful Thinking

Kyle Freeland

Oh, Kyle, the hometown kid, the guy who dominated the Chicago Cubs in the last season’s NL Wild Card game and placed fourth in 2018 Cy Young voting. No one could have anticipated this season’s disastrous decline.

But Freeland is setting himself up to be the comeback story of 2020. Every hero must fall before he can rise again. Right? Right?!

Raimel Tapia

The All-Star Game needs more swagger, and Tapia would bring mucho. Tapia needs to address some glaring deficiencies, mainly the plate discipline that hurts his on-base percentage and makes him mincemeat against pitchers with above-average breaking balls. But if he fixes those issues, continues to increase his power and takes advantage of his speed to make some spectacular outfield plays, America could be lucky enough to be introduced to Tapia.

Oh, and more regular playing time would certainly help. That might be the biggest obstacle in his development.

Brendan Rodgers

Rodgers’ first cup of coffee in the big leagues was … not good. His slash line was .224/.272/.250 in 81 plate appearances. Yet it’s not a surprise – it’s what happens when you have to figure out MLB pitching while not getting consistent at-bats.

Next. Which way will the Rockies go at the trade deadline?. dark

Perhaps in 2020 the Rockies’ number-one prospect will earn himself an everyday roster spot and capitalize on the promise he’s shown at every other level.

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