The 10 worst contracts in Colorado Rockies history

Colorado Rockies reliever Jake McGee: 3 years, $27 million

Jake McGee was with the Colorado Rockies for two seasons before they re-signed McGee to a three-year deal for $27 million in the 2017-2018 offseason.

McGee was acquired by the Rockies from the Rays along with Germán Márquez before the 2016 season and that was a very good trade for the Rockies. But, like the “super bullpen,” McGee faltered in 2018 as he had a 6.49 ERA in 61 games.

He was better in 2019 (4.35 ERA in 45 games) but nothing like he was in 2017 (3.61 ERA, 140 ERA+ in 62 appearances). The Rockies released him before the third and final year of the deal ($9.5 million) and for the buyout of the option for the 2021 season ($2 million).

Colorado Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy: 2 years, $24 million

The Colorado Rockies signed Daniel Murphy to play first base for them before the start of the 2019 season and, with the exception of the Arenado extension later that offseason, that’s the only move that the Rockies made that offseason involving an MLB contract.

In those two years, Murphy had an OPS+ of 81 and had an rWAR of -0.5.

What made the deal even worse was that the Rockies signed Murphy instead of re-signing D.J. LeMahieu, who signed for the same exact amount and length with the Yankees. LeMahieu came in 3rd and 4th in AL MVP voting in those two seasons with an OPS+ of 146 and an rWAR of 8.7. It could have been even higher if not for the 2020 pandemic season.

The Rockies had a team option for $12 million for 2021 but Murphy opted to retire instead.