Colorado Rockies: Three first base free agent targets

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – AUGUST 24: Daniel Murphy #9 of the Colorado Rockies reacts while batting against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on August 24, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

With Daniel Murphy likely becoming a free agent this offseason, the Colorado Rockies may decide to turn to the free-agent market this offseason for first base.

The contractual disaster that was Daniel Murphy’s contract has come to an end and the Colorado Rockies have a few different options in filling it. Internally, they may decide to do what they did toward the end of the 2020 season and play Josh Fuentes there every day.

They could decide to move Ryan McMahon over there and have Garrett Hampson or Brendan Rodgers play every day at second base. Less likely than those two, the Rockies could decide to plug Ian Desmond back in at first base every day.

Externally, they could look to trade for a first baseman on the trade market or they could also look to the free-agent market. For first basemen on the market, many of them have a club or mutual options on their contract, including six other first basemen (or players that have a different primary position but also can play first base) excluding Daniel Murphy.

It just so happens to be that those players with options are the best (and therefore, most expensive) options on the market. They include Anthony Rizzo, Carlos Santana, Eric Thames, Todd Frazier, and Mitch Moreland.

For this, we will exclude them as either their options are likely to be picked up or they will be out of the Rockies price range (unless they maneuver some salary in a trade).

Jake Lamb

Jake Lamb is someone that the Rockies are very familiar with in his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks. His main problem has been that he hasn’t been able to stay on the field since he has had so many injuries. He was an All-Star and had a 30 homer, 105 RBI season in 2017 but he hasn’t played in more than 78 games in the majors in a season since.

In 2020, the D’Backs finally gave up on him after he was hitting an awful .116/.240/.140 with an OPS+ of 6. The Oakland A’s decided to take a chance on him after their third baseman Matt Chapman suffered a season-ending injury and Lamb played much better.

In 13 games for the A’s, he hit .267/.327/.556 with an OPS+ of 143.

The injury history, including shoulder surgery and a strained quad, is a big problem. However, a minor league deal with an invite to spring training with an incentive-laden contract based on games played or offensive stats could make Lamb a steal for the Rockies. And if he gets injured or plays poorly, the Rockies would not be out much.

Ryan Zimmerman

It’s not entirely certain that Ryan Zimmerman will return to baseball after he opted out of the 2020 season but when he did opt-out before the season resumed, he did say that he did not plan on retiring at the time.

Had the 15-year veteran been able to play in a full season in 2020, he was going to take a massive pay cut from $18 million a season down to $2 million to stay with the Nationals.

Like Lamb, he has an extensive injury history as since 2013, he has only played in more than 95 games in a season twice (2016 and 2017) so, once again, an incentive-laden contract would be best for the Rockies in this situation.

He could provide the veteran leadership that the Rockies have had with Drew Butera in recent years and Matt Kemp this past season as well. Zimmerman may decide that he wants to play with the Nationals or just retire but if the Nats decide not to bring him back and he does want to keep playing, he should be a guy that the Rockies take a look at.

C.J. Cron

C.J. Cron, the son of Chris Cron, who managed the Rockies Triple-A team in Colorado Springs from 2000 through 2003, has bounced around a bit in the last few seasons but he has, quietly, been one of the better hitting first basemen in baseball.

In 2018 and 2019, he averaged 28 home runs and 76 RBI with a slash line of .253/.317/.482 with an OPS+ of 113 and an average bWAR of 2.0. While with the Tigers in 2020, he was playing even better (139 OPS+) but he suffered a knee injury after only 13 games played, he suffered a season-ending knee injury that required surgery.

With the surgery, he may not be fully healed by the time Spring Training will be starting so that is a risk in signing him.

Final Thoughts

While the Rockies’ decision on whether to stay with their internal options or go external will be made in the coming months, it will partially hinge on whether or not the National League adopts the designated hitter full-time for 2021 and beyond.

If the DH is adopted, the chance that someone like these three with their injuries would be better since they could DH some of the time as well.

Next. Looking back on 3 Arenado trade proposals. dark

Even if the DH isn’t adopted and they decide to give the everyday first baseman job to someone internally, these three players could also provide the Rockies with a bat on the bench and depth and depth currently is and has been a major issue for the Rockies in the last decade or more.

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