Breaking down a Colorado Rockies-Seattle Mariners trade proposal

There are certain things you can count on in this world. Among them are death, taxes, and teams trying to figure out a way to pry starting pitcher German Marquez away from the Colorado Rockies.

We always enjoy working with our fellow FanSided sites, including SoDo Mojo, a site covering the Seattle Mariners. So, when the fine folks at SoDo Mojo approached us about a fictional trade between the Mariners and the Colorado Rockies, we said, “Game on.” When we heard the trade involved Marquez, the response was simple.

“Would take a lot because the Rox really do consider him untouchable but throw some things together,” was our reply to our Seattle friends in the Twitter DM world.

Here was the proposed trade between the Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies, as well as our response

In this article, the fine folks at SoDo Mojo outlined a package for Colorado’s All-Star starting pitcher. Marquez would head to Seattle while southpaw pitcher Justus Sheffield (the brother of Rockies reliever Jordan Sheffield who posted a 6.83 ERA in 80.1 innings for Seattle last season) and Double-A infielder Kaden Polcovich and Double-A outfielder Zach DeLoach would be dealt to the Rockies.

As we said in the DMs and we said in this article before last season’s trade deadline, Marquez isn’t going anywhere. It would take an extremely weighted package in favor of the Rockies for the 26-year-old right-hander to be moved … and that package isn’t it.

Let’s not forget that Marquez is signed for a very team-friendly price through the 2023 season and Colorado’s starting pitching is the cornerstone of any kind of climb for the franchise back into National League West relevancy. With the Rockies still needing to fill Jon Gray’s slot in the rotation, the last thing the Rockies would want to do is create another hole that needs to be patched.

Marquez produced 3.3 bWAR last season while leading the Rockies in starts (32) and innings pitched (180.0). He was second within the Rockies rotation in WHIP (1.272) and tied for second in ERA+ (108). Knowing his contract and his results on the mound, the Rockies need Marquez in Denver and continuing to develop in a Rockies uniform.

Looking at Seattle’s roster, shortstop J.P. Crawford produced 3.8 bWAR last season and is under team control through the 2024 season. Any trade that would even start to move the needle on Marquez would have to include someone like that as well as some prospects. Colorado knows what it has in Marquez and is in no hurry to watch him walk away.

Trade ideas are always fun in theory. However, when it comes to the Rockies, one has to think back to the last trade deadline when then-interim (and now full-time) Colorado general manager Bill Schmidt said, “We are not a farm system for other people.”

If an offer at least season’s trade deadline wasn’t enough to get Trevor Story or Gray, then it’s highly unlikely one is coming any time soon that will match the internal price it would take to get Marquez.