Why the Colorado Rockies will be under the .500 mark in 2020

Colorado’s All-Stars don’t perform

Last year, Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, David Dahl and Trevor Story were named National League All-Stars. It marked just the second time in Colorado history that four players had been named All-Stars (along with 2017) and the first time all four had been position players.

Dahl would have his season cut short by a high ankle sprain after just 100 games (finishing with a .302 average) while Blackmon, Story and Arenado each finished with 32 or more homers and solidified the lineup.

Can the quartet keep up the production this season? It is possible but there are some warning signs.

Blackmon will turn 34 next season and finished last season’s as (statistically) Colorado’s worst outfielder with -9 Outs Above Average via Baseball Savant. Can the Rockies count on Chuck Nazty’s eye-popping offensive numbers outweighing the defensive flaws again this season?

Dahl will once again be looking to avoid missing long stretches of time with injury. Can 2020 be the year he breaks through on the health side as well? Colorado struggled to replace him last season at the plate and in the field when he went down in early August.

Arenado played in 155 games last season, marking the fifth consecutive season he has hit that mark or higher. Can he stay healthy? The same can be asked of Story, who was a part of 145 games in his fourth season.

These four players make up the core of Colorado’s offensive power (and, with Story and Arenado, the defensive backbone of the team). They will have to perform at their best (and have young players rise to the occasion in the lineup around them) in order for the Rockies to avoid another losing season.