Colorado Rockies: What is the possible return in a Nolan Arenado trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers?

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Apr 12, 2019; San Francisco, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) stands in defensive position during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports /

Former GM Jim Bowden of ESPN, The Athletic, and MLB Network Radio recently predicted that the Colorado Rockies will not only trade Nolan Arenado by Christmas but to the Los Angeles Dodgers. So what would a possible return look like?

It’s the story of the offseason for the Colorado Rockies and one of the biggest storylines of the offseason: Will Nolan Arenado and/or Trevor Story be traded this offseason and if so, who will they be traded to?

Both of them could potentially be free agents next offseason if Story isn’t extended and Arenado opts out. According to former Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, who is now a talk-show host, analyst, and writer for MLB Network Radio, ESPN, and The Athletic, he thinks that Arenado will be traded to the 2010s Evil Empire: The Los Angeles Dodgers.

As Rox Pile’s Kevin Henry discussed in this article a few days ago about Bowden’s prediction, he thinks that Arenado is planning on opting out of his contract at the end of the 2021 season. To be traded to the Dodgers, Bowden thinks that Arenado would have to waive the no-trade clause.

For determining the possible trade value, that is a huge determining factor. Also, from the Rockies’ perspective, if they do decide to trade Arenado to the Dodgers to play for the next six seasons, they must get a HUGE return and I mean massive. As it is, Jeff Bridich is on thin ice with fans (he is not in the front office and he won’t be for any foreseen circumstances as it has been remarked before that a Rockies GM has as much job security as a Supreme Court justice).

If the Rockies do trade Arenado to the Dodgers and don’t get a massive haul in return, the Rockies will see even more of a backlash from fans, who have already been turning against the team in TV viewership and radio listeners, among other ways. If fans can attend games in 2021, they will likely see a hit there too.

For the Rockies and Dodgers to pull off a deal, there needs to be a lot of names and a lot of good names on the table, particularly if the no-trade clause is waived and/or if the Rockies end up paying some of Arenado’s salary.

GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Keibert Ruiz #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses during MLB Photo Day at Camelback Ranch- Glendale on February 22, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /

The Dodgers top prospects

The Dodgers don’t have as strong of a farm system as they once did since they traded away some prospects and some graduated to the major leagues. However, they still do have two of MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects.

#62 overall prospect RHP Josiah Gray
#68 overall prospect C Keibert Ruiz

Of the two, Ruiz definitely needs to be in a deal. The Dodgers already have themselves a young, everyday catcher in Will Smith. The Rockies, on the other hand, have a huge hole behind the plate as they have never had a catcher that is rated above league-average defensively AND offensively like Ruiz is. He made his MLB debut in 2020 (two games) so the Rockies could easily slide him into their starting catcher spot tomorrow.

As it currently stands, you could very easily argue that Drew Romo is the best catcher that the Rockies have had in their organization in at least a decade, if not longer, and he has never played a professional game in his life since he was just drafted in 2020.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 23: Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the dugout after retiring the side against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning in Game Three of the 2020 MLB World Series at Globe Life Field on October 23, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

The Dodgers MLB talent

As you know watching the Dodgers when the Rockies face them, the Dodgers are the best team in baseball for one main reason: their depth. They’ve got some good regular-season players like Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw, and Kenley Jansen but in the past couple of seasons, they didn’t have anyone that absolutely blew the world away. They did, however, have at least one average or above-average player at every single position.

Many of those players are young players that have plenty of control. Here are some of the names that should be mentioned in a possible trade.

Dodgers fans might balk at including two or more of these players in a deal for Arenado but, especially with having to waive his no-trade (he’d go in a heartbeat to the Dodgers, though) and having to waive his opt-out clause, the Rockies should expect a deal with at least two of those players, Ruiz or Gray, and perhaps some other lower-ranked prospects. It should be noted that Cody Bellinger is also arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason but I highly doubt that the Dodgers would trade the former MVP in the division.

Next. Should the Rockies claim Hunter Renfroe from Tampa?. dark

Frankly, I find it hard to believe that the Dodgers would be fine trading any of those players in the division and the Rockies trading Arenado in the division and especially to the Dodgers. Perhaps a deal does get done between the two teams but if the Rockies don’t get at least three of the quality of MLB players/prospects that we mentioned, they will have lost the biggest trade that the franchise has ever made.

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Former GM Jim Bowden of ESPN, The Athletic, and MLB Network Radio recently predicted that the Colorado Rockies will not only trade Nolan Arenado by Christmas but to the Los Angeles Dodgers. So what would a possible return look like?

The Dodgers top prospects

The Dodgers MLB talent

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