5 trade targets from the Chicago Cubs for the Colorado Rockies

In 2021, the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies were bad teams. The Cubs, coming off a Wild Card berth in 2020 actually finished with a record worse than the Rockies, as they went 71-91. The Rockies went 74-87.

However, the Cubs were worse because they traded away their best players (many of whom were becoming free agents) so that they would get some prospects in return. They included Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, Joc Pederson, Andrew Chafin, Ryan Tepera, and Craig Kimbrel.

The Rockies, on the other hand, did not trade anyone at the trade deadline and now, Jon Gray is gone and Trevor Story is likely gone and the Rockies will have one (1) comp draft pick to show for it.

Entering 2022, the Cubs have already spent money to try to make themselves a better team as they signed starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to a three-year deal, got starting pitcher Wade Miley (who was inexplicably put on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds), catcher Yan Gomes, outfielder Harold Ramírez, and outfielder Clint Frazier to their team.

The Rockies, like they did at the trade deadline, have made no moves to add any player from outside of the organization this offseason.

The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies are both a ways off from playoff contention

However, both teams will have to make some significant moves once the lockout ends to make themselves a contender for the playoffs in 2022. For the Rockies, they are or could be looking for a backup catcher, an infielder, at least one outfielder, at least one power threat at the plate, a starting pitcher, and at least two relievers as well as depth at, really, all of the positions.

But from a buying perspective for the Colorado Rockies, there are five players that they should consider as a trade target from the Chicago Cubs.

The Colorado Rockies are very familiar with Chicago Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega

Chicago Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega is a player that the Colorado Rockies are very familiar with.

Ortega, 30, originally signed with the Colorado Rockies as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela all the way back in 2008. He worked up to Double-A by 2012 and, while skipping Double-A, appeared in two games as a September call-up for the Rockies in 2012. However, he was placed on waivers, claimed by Texas, and he has bounced around in the majors and minors since then, playing in six organizations.

After not being in pro baseball in 2020, Ortega signed with the Chicago Cubs for the 2021 season and played the most games he ever played in the majors and had his best season in the majors too.

In 2021, Ortega played in 103 games (73 starts) and he had 11 homers and 33 RBI with a slash line of .291/.360/.463 with an OPS+ of 120.

Ortega can play all three outfield positions and with his lack of success in the majors before 2021, he should be fairly easy for the Rockies to get. If he has a 120 OPS+ for the Rockies, it would be a good pickup. If he is the 58 OPS+ player that he was prior to 2021, the Rockies already have plenty of players like that in their crowded but mediocre outfield.

Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras would be a great pickup for the Colorado Rockies

Six months ago, the Colorado Rockies desperately needed a catcher. However, given the resurgence over catcher Elias Díaz and his subsequent three-year contract extension, the Rockies don’t need a starter. However, Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras would provide the Rockies with a bat and a versatile catcher.

Contreras had a knee injury and a hip injury that, combined, cost him about two weeks of time (the hip injury happened on the second-to-last day fo the season) but he still played in 128 games in 2021 and he was one of the Cubs best players.

He had 21 homers and 57 RBI with a slash line of .237/.340/.438 with an OPS+ of 108. Defensively, he had 8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), which helped him accrue an rWAR of 4.1.

In 2020, he had an OPS+ of 106 and a WAR of 1.0 in 57 games but in 2018 and 2019, he was an All-Star for the Cubs. His best season of the two was in 2019 when, in 105 games, he hit 24 homers and had 64 RBI with a slash line of .272/.355/.533 with an OPS+ of 127 and a rWAR of 3.2.

The Rockies may not look at Contreras since he is a catcher and they already have Elias Díaz but if the DH comes to the NL, he would be a better fit. Also, Contreras can play other positions. Between the majors and minors, Contreras has played at least 20 games at first base, third base, left field, and right field. The Rockies also love having a catcher who can play other positions as 2021 was the first year in a decade that they haven’t had one (or an infielder that had catching experience).

Contreras is entering his final season before free agency so the Rockies wouldn’t have much control but that would also make him cheaper in a trade.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ could also provide the Colorado Rockies with a good bat

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ would also provide the Colorado Rockies with another bat and in the outfield, which is a spot that they hope to address when the lockout ends. In fact, when we chose just one trade target from each team back in October, Happ was our pick for the Cubs.

Happ, 27, has played with the Cubs for each of the last five seasons and now that their core of players from their 2016 World Series Champion team is gone, Happ is, arguably, their best position players.

In 2021, Happ played in 148 games and he had 25 homers and 66 RBI with a slash line of .226/.323/.434. He had an OPS+ of 102 and a rWAR of 1.6.

In 2020, Happ got NL MVP votes after he played in 57 games and had 12 homers and 28 RBI. He had a slash line of .258/.361/.505 with an OPS+ of 131. In the 2020 Wild Card series, Happ was the only Cubs hitter that actually did really well in Miami’s sweep of the Cubs as he went 4-for-8 with a solo homer. That was their only run of the two games

In 2019, Happ started out the season in Triple-A as he had an awful spring training. He didn’t appear in the majors until late July but in 58 games, he had 11 homers, 30 RBI, and an OPS+ of 128.

For the Rockies, they may find Happ intriguing as he can play many positions. He has played center field and left field the most but he has extensive playing time in right field, at second base, third base, and first base as well.

He is entering his second season of arbitration.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Wade Miley would be a good target for the Colorado Rockies

Despite the Chicago Cubs claiming Wade Miley off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds, perhaps the Cubs are looking to do what the Reds should have done: cash in on Miley’s good season and get a prospect or two in a trade. The Colorado Rockies could use Miley in their rotation.

Rockies fans probably best remember Miley, 35, as a starter for the Arizona Diamondbacks, which is where he started off his career but he has played with six other teams since.

In 2021 for the Reds, Miley had arguably the best season of his career. He made 28 starts and he averaged nearly six innings per start and he had an ERA of 3.37. He had an ERA+ of 141, a FIP of 3.97, a WHIP of 1.325, and he averaged 2.8 walks and 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

For the Rockies, he could be good for them considering their success in their starting rotation (particularly at Coors Field) with pitchers with high groundball rates as, since 2019, Antonio Senzatela, Germán Márquez, and Jon Gray were all among the top 17 starters in groundball percentage with at least 300 innings pitched.

For Miley, he is also in that group as his 49.4 percent groundball rate puts him at #11 in that group. Miley is entering the final year of a three-year deal and is slated to make $10 million in 2022.

Our trade target series continues in the NL Central with the Cincinnati Reds up next.