Colorado Rockies: Will the Atlanta Braves circle back to a Nolan Arenado trade?

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 16: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies hits an eighth inning solo homer against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on August 16, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 16: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies hits an eighth inning solo homer against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on August 16, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 11: Johan Camargo #17 of the Atlanta Braves collapses in pain after fouling a ball off his shin against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fourth inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 11, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 3-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 11: Johan Camargo #17 of the Atlanta Braves collapses in pain after fouling a ball off his shin against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fourth inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 11, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 3-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Currently, the Braves have Camargo slated at the top of their third base depth chart. He played in 98 games and had an OPS+ of 67 last year (it was a combined 111 in 2017 and 2018 in 216 games). By OPS+, his season was comparable (in Colorado Rockies terms) to that of Tony Wolters (64 OPS+) and Garrett Hampson (66 OPS+). Even if they don’t go with Camargo, Austin Riley would be next and he was a rookie last year who had an OPS+ of 86 in the majors. He has only played 119 games at Triple-A.

So it’s a very reasonable assumption that the Braves need a third baseman, which is why Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported between Christmas and New Year’s that the Braves had “inquired” with the Rockies on Arenado.

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So what could some potential deals look like between the teams? There’s a few different ways to look at it.

There are two main ways to look at a trade proposal for Arenado. One proposal that assumes that the other team would only have two years of control since he can opt out. This is the way that the St. Louis Cardinals seem to be looking at it. The other is that you could have seven years of one of the best third basemen of all-time on a team that needs a right-handed power bat and an elite defender behind young pitchers on a team that is usually a perennial contender.

That’s how we’ll look at the trade proposals.

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