Colorado Rockies: It’s time to let some players go

The Colorado Rockies have two veteran relievers that should be traded

As hard as it has been for the Rockies to find good bullpen help, the team likely needs to trade Daniel Bard. He has had a fantastic season to cap a truly remarkable comeback story. He’s pitching to a 1.91 ERA with 21 saves and can still hit 100 MPH at age 37. Bard will be a free agent at the end of the season and his future is unknown.

Even if he re-signs with the Rockies, his age means he will likely not be around when the team returns to competitiveness, even by the most optimistic projections. The most Bard can do to help that future competitive team is to bring the team back a decent return in a trade. The same goes for Alex Colomé who will be a free agent at the end of the season and is arguably far less likely than Bard to resign if he’s not dealt.

José Iglesias is another player who needs to be traded. I was a little puzzled when he was first signed and to be honest, I’ve been impressed. He’s been a solid player and seems like a good guy, but he is not a part of the team’s future and he, like Bard and Colome, is a free agent at the end of the season.

He’s a veteran player who can provide solid defense with good bat-to-ball skills and would be a smart depth pickup for any team looking to make a playoff run. He won’t return a massive haul to the Rockies, but they can get something for him and they should pursue it.

Under contract until the end of the 2023 season, Randal Grichuck provides strong defense and a little bit of pop for a team looking for an outfielder. Yonathan Daza won’t be arbitration eligible until 2024 and won’t be a free agent until 2027, but I don’t necessarily see him fitting into the Rockies’ long-term plans.

Daza won’t hit the ball over the fence often, but in a league where batting averages are down a guy who can hit around .300 could provide value as a fourth outfielder or a bat off the bench. If teams are interested, the Rockies should listen.

The guys who are question marks to me are Chad Kuhl and C.J. Cron. Kuhl is a free agent at the end of the year but he has shown enough in his time here and pitching has been a hard hole for the Rockies to fill that if they could sign him to a multiyear extension, it might not be a bad idea. But considering his contract situation and the fact that there’s no guarantee they reach an agreement with him, it probably makes sense to see what the team can get for him at the deadline.

Cron seems to have found a home in Colorado and he’s under contract for one more season so the team doesn’t have to move him right now, but his price might never be higher than it is right now. If the Rockies make him available and play this right, they could land quite a return for the slugger. If the team thinks he’s a part of the future, they could hold onto him, but he is 32 so the chances of him still being around or this productive the next time the team is competitive seem slim.

If the Rockies are going to be competitive any time soon, they need to make some moves this deadline. Those decisions won’t only help the team in the future by bringing back prospects, but they will also clear roadblocks from the paths of prospects like Ezequiel Tovar and Elehuris Montero. It’s those players who will be the future of the team. If there is any hope of this team being competitive any time soon, they need to stop thinking about the present and focus on the future.

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