%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201069.9%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201069.9%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23939598%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23111111%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%235E30B1%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%23999999%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st6%7Bfill%3A%23371C5C%3B%7D%0A%09.st7%7Bfill%3A%234D4D4D%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M626.3%2C1.3h-67.8c-9.9%2C0-17.6%2C7.7-17.6%2C17.6v168c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h17.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.4-5.3%2C11.4-11.8v-56%0A%09%09h41.8c34%2C0%2C64.1-24.8%2C67.5-58.2C694.6%2C34.1%2C664.3%2C1.3%2C626.3%2C1.3z%20M626.3%2C90.1h-44.6V42.4h44.6c13.3%2C0%2C23.8%2C10.5%2C23.8%2C23.8%0A%09%09C650.1%2C79.3%2C639.6%2C90.1%2C626.3%2C90.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M746.5%2C1.3h-23.5c-6.5%2C0-11.8%2C5.3-11.8%2C11.8V187c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h23.5c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V13%0A%09%09C758.2%2C6.6%2C753%2C1.3%2C746.5%2C1.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M908.2%2C163.4h-88.8V13c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8H790c-6.5%2C0-11.8%2C5.3-11.8%2C11.8v168c0%2C9.6%2C8%2C17.6%2C17.6%2C17.6%0A%09%09h112.3c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8v-11.8C919.9%2C168.7%2C914.7%2C163.4%2C908.2%2C163.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M1058.1%2C36.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V13c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8H957.6c-9.9%2C0-17.6%2C7.7-17.6%2C17.6v162.1%0A%09%09c0%2C9.6%2C7.7%2C17.6%2C17.6%2C17.6h100.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8v-11.8c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8h-77v-45.8h61.9%0A%09%09c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V94.1c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8h-61.9V36.6H1058.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M117.9%2C122.3c22-12.7%2C35.9-37.4%2C31.9-65.3c-4.6-32.5-34-55.7-66.5-55.7H17.6C7.7%2C1.3%2C0%2C9%2C0%2C18.9v168%0A%09%09c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h17.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.4-5.3%2C11.4-11.8v-56h33.7l39%2C59.7c3.1%2C5%2C8.7%2C8%2C14.5%2C8h22c7.7%2C0%2C12.1-8.7%2C8-15.2%0A%09%09L117.9%2C122.3z%20M85.4%2C90.1H40.8V42.4h44.6c13.3%2C0%2C23.8%2C10.5%2C23.8%2C23.8C109.2%2C79.3%2C98.7%2C90.1%2C85.4%2C90.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M471.4%2C116.6c2.4-5.1%2C3.7-10.8%2C3.7-16.8c0-5.9-1.3-11.5-3.6-16.6l48.1-69.6c3.4-5.3-0.3-12.4-6.5-12.4h-25.4%0A%09%09%09c-5.9%2C0-11.4%2C3.1-14.9%2C8l-35.1%2C50.6c-0.9-0.1-1.8-0.1-2.7-0.1c-0.9%2C0-1.7%2C0-2.6%2C0.1L397.4%2C9.3c-3.4-5-9-8-15.2-8h-25.1%0A%09%09%09c-6.2%2C0-10.2%2C7.1-6.5%2C12.4l44.1%2C64H234.5c-2%2C2.8-3.6%2C5.8-4.8%2C9h167.6c-1%2C2.8-1.6%2C5.7-2%2C8.7H227.6c-0.2%2C1.5-0.3%2C3-0.3%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09c0%2C1.5%2C0.1%2C3%2C0.3%2C4.5h167.7c0.4%2C3%2C1%2C6%2C2%2C8.7H229.8c1.2%2C3.2%2C2.9%2C6.3%2C4.9%2C9h160l-44.1%2C64c-3.7%2C5%2C0.3%2C12.4%2C6.5%2C12.4h25.1%0A%09%09%09c6.2%2C0%2C11.8-3.1%2C15.2-8l35.3-50.9c0.8%2C0%2C1.6%2C0.1%2C2.4%2C0.1c0.9%2C0%2C1.7%2C0%2C2.5-0.1l35.3%2C50.9c3.4%2C5%2C9%2C8%2C14.9%2C8h25.4%0A%09%09%09c6.2%2C0%2C9.9-7.4%2C6.5-12.4L471.4%2C116.6z%20M435.1%2C73.2c8.2%2C0%2C15.5%2C3.7%2C20.4%2C9.5c-0.4-0.2-0.8-0.5-1.2-0.7c-2.8-1.6-6.1-2.5-9.3-2.7%0A%09%09%09c-3.2-0.3-6.5%2C0.1-9.6%2C0.8c-3.1%2C0.8-6%2C2-8.7%2C3.6l-1.7%2C0.9l-0.8%2C0.4l-0.8%2C0.3c-0.6%2C0.2-1.1%2C0.5-1.7%2C0.5l-0.9%2C0.2l-0.4%2C0.1l-0.4%2C0%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C0.2-4.5-0.3-6.7-1.6C418%2C77.7%2C426%2C73.2%2C435.1%2C73.2z%20M435.1%2C126.5c-9%2C0-17-4.5-21.9-11.4c2.2-1.3%2C4.5-1.8%2C6.7-1.6l0.4%2C0%0A%09%09%09l0.4%2C0.1l0.9%2C0.2c0.6%2C0.1%2C1.1%2C0.3%2C1.7%2C0.5l0.8%2C0.3l0.8%2C0.4l1.7%2C0.9c2.7%2C1.5%2C5.6%2C2.7%2C8.7%2C3.6c3.1%2C0.7%2C6.3%2C1.1%2C9.6%2C0.8%0A%09%09%09c3.2-0.2%2C6.5-1.2%2C9.3-2.7c0.4-0.2%2C0.8-0.5%2C1.2-0.7C450.6%2C122.8%2C443.3%2C126.5%2C435.1%2C126.5z%20M460.4%2C108.2c-0.4%2C0.4-0.8%2C0.7-1.3%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C1.6-4.5%2C2.9-6.9%2C3.7c-4.8%2C1.7-10.1%2C1.4-15.1%2C0.2c-1.3-0.4-2.5-0.7-3.8-1.2c-1.3-0.4-2.5-1-3.7-1.5c-2.9-1.3-6.2-2.4-9.8-2.1%0A%09%09%09c-0.9%2C0.1-1.7%2C0.2-2.6%2C0.5c-0.8%2C0.2-1.7%2C0.5-2.4%2C0.9c-0.4%2C0.2-0.8%2C0.4-1.1%2C0.6l-1%2C0.7c-0.5%2C0.3-0.9%2C0.7-1.3%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-1.9-3.7-3-7.9-3-12.4c0-4.5%2C1.1-8.7%2C3-12.4c0.4%2C0.4%2C0.8%2C0.8%2C1.3%2C1.1l1%2C0.7c0.4%2C0.2%2C0.7%2C0.4%2C1.1%2C0.6c0.7%2C0.4%2C1.6%2C0.7%2C2.4%2C0.9%0A%09%09%09c0.8%2C0.3%2C1.7%2C0.3%2C2.6%2C0.5c3.5%2C0.3%2C6.9-0.8%2C9.8-2.1c1.2-0.5%2C2.4-1.1%2C3.7-1.5c1.2-0.5%2C2.5-0.8%2C3.8-1.2c5-1.2%2C10.2-1.5%2C15.1%2C0.2%0A%09%09%09c2.4%2C0.8%2C4.8%2C2%2C6.9%2C3.7c0.4%2C0.3%2C0.8%2C0.7%2C1.3%2C1.1c0.9%2C2.6%2C1.3%2C5.4%2C1.3%2C8.3C461.7%2C102.8%2C461.3%2C105.6%2C460.4%2C108.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M311%2C131.3c-10%2C14.7-26.9%2C24.4-46%2C24.4c-30.7%2C0-55.6-24.9-55.6-55.6s24.9-55.6%2C55.6-55.6%0A%09%09%09c19%2C0%2C35.7%2C9.5%2C45.8%2C24.1H360C346.8%2C28.8%2C309.3%2C0%2C265%2C0c-55.2%2C0-100%2C44.8-100%2C100s44.8%2C100%2C100%2C100c44.3%2C0%2C81.8-28.8%2C95-68.7H311z%0A%09%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
While the Rockies certainly have some questions looming about the future of their roster, one position that will not be in question is shortstop. On Sunday, March 24th, the Rockies announced that they have extended the contract of Ezequiel Tovar for the next seven years, with a club option for an eighth year, for $63.5 million guaranteed, and a possible $84 million if the eighth year is exercised.
This deal, coming at the tail end of Spring Training, locks in the Rockies future shortstop with the 22-year-old inked until the 2031 season. After debuting at the end of 2022, the Venezuelan, hit .253, with 15 homeruns, 73 RBI's, 11 stolen bases, and an astounding .988 fielding percentage, which broke the rookie shortstop fielding percentage record that was held by former Rockies great, Troy Tulowitzki in 2007. He also had a total of 13 defensive runs saved and tied the franchise's single season record of 37 doubles, good for fifth in the National League.
Tovar will be a key cog in the Rockies future plans (whatever the heck those might be) and his presence in the lineup, and especially the middle infield, will be a strong part of the core moving forward. The youngest player in club history at the time of his debut in 2022, and after a tremendous rookie season which saw him finish as a Gold Glove finalist, and a key contributor to the Rockies offense, Tovar immediately made it known that he was here to stay.
So far in Spring Training 2024, Tovar is hitting .283 with two homeruns, he will look to carry his momentum from 2023 into 2024, and there is little doubt within the organization that he will do just that. The Rockies have their guy at shortstop locked up long term, and will hopefully *gulps* make some strides toward building a strong core around him for the future.
Call to Action
Are you a fan of the Rockies? Do you love talking about all things Rockies? Do you want to write about the Rockies on your own schedule with the potential to earn some extra cash? Go to https://openings.fansided.com and look for the Rox Pile site and apply to join our staff.