3 trade targets for the Colorado Rockies from the Houston Astros

Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Phil Maton — ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 31: Phil Maton #88 of the Houston Astros delivers the pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning in Game Five of the World Series at Truist Park on October 31, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Houston Astros reliever Phil Maton should be someone that the Colorado Rockies look at

If you just look at ERA, Houston Astros reliever Phil Maton does not look like a good reliever. He’s got a 4.76 ERA in parts of five seasons in the majors with the Astros, Cleveland, and San Diego but other numbers suggest that he has been a victim of some bad luck. Perhaps, he could be of some help in the Colorado Rockies bullpen.

Since 2020, Maton, who turns 29 toward the end of Spring Training, has appeared in 88 games of relief and he has an ERA of 4.69. However, he has a FIP of 3.19 in that span with nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings. In 2020, despite having a 4.57 ERA, he was in the top ten percent in barrel rate (only 1.9 percent), average exit velocity (82.7 MPH), xSLG, xwOBA, hard hit percentage, strikeout percentage, and xERA.

Additionally, Maton has been fantastic in the postseason in the last two years. Between Cleveland and Houston in 2020 and 2021, he posted a 1.15 ERA in 14 postseason appearances.

Maton is eligible for arbitration for the second time this off-season and he is projected to make around $1.4 million. Under the current CBA, he will be eligible for arbitration for the final time next off-season for becoming a free agent during the 2024–2025 offseason so depending on how the new CBA turns out, the Rockies would have two years of control on him.

Houston Astros reliever Phil Maton should be someone that the Colorado Rockies look at

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