Two potential Rockies free agents who should come back and one who should not
Looking ahead at what future free agents the Rockies should resign and not resign for the 2024 offseason.
The 2023 MLB season has not been kind to the Colorado Rockies, the team is in last place in the National League West (46-75) and is on the verge of officially being eliminated from the post season before the month of Sept. and might even suffer the franchise's first ever 100 loss season.
With the season just a month and a half away, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt has to consider all moves for this team's future. With that being said, he has the rest of this season to reevaluate his team's roster.
Although some of the moves made by him in the previous off-season have been successful, some have not gone as planned. After analyzing the current roster and projecting what next year's team could look like, I believe it would be beneficial for Schmidt to give the younger talent in the organization a chance to shine. As a result, I have compiled a list of players who should be retained and those who should be let go after the season is over.
1. Brent Suter
This past offseason, the Rockies claimed veteran relief pitcher Brent Suter from the Milwuakee Brewers. Aside from trading for Nolan Jones, this might've been the best move the Rockies made last offseason.
At the trade deadline, I was sure Suter might've been a name we would've seen traded from Colorado as the return package would've been a huge boost for the Colorado organization. However, he was not traded and is set to finish the year as a free agent after this season.
Right now, Suter is pitching with a 4-0 record and an incredible 2.43 ERA, 43 strikeouts and holding batters to a .218 batting average, the lowest in his career since 2019.
Since the Rockies elected not to trade him, a move to resign Suter should be a priority for Colorado. The Rockies are set to begin next year with a very young bullpen and will need a veteran presence in the pen. Suter would not only be a force to be reckoned with next year but would also be an excellent mentor for the Rockies' young relievers.
Verdict: Resign
2. German Marquez
Coming into this season, expectations were at an all-time high for starting pitcher German Marquez. Marquez, 28, was entering the final year of a five-year $43 Million contract that he signed in 2019 at the age of 24.
After pitching in just four games for the Rockies, Marquez's season abruptly came to an end as the eight-year veteran right-handed pitcher suffered an elbow injury which led to Tommy John Surgery.
This year, the Rockies offense and bullpen has been the strength of the team, unfortunately, the starting pitching has been horrendous. The starting rotation in Colorado does not have a starting pitcher who has below a 4.00 ERA and will likely only have one ten-game winner as Austin Gomber has started to find resurrection in his career. To make matters worse, the Rockies are without a true ace of the staff.
Going into the offseason, the Rockies need to be serious about finding quality starting pitching if they want to even make an attempt at the wild card next season. Keeping Marquez should be a no-brainer for Colorado given the success that he has had in Coors Field and coming into this year as the ace of the staff.
The opportunity to resign Marquez could be great for both sides as he is coming off a major injury in a contract year, it could be likely he won't receive a long term deal as team's might be hesistant to take a chance on him. The Rockies however could offer Marquez a one year prove it deal and could potentially lock him up for a long term extension mid way through the 2024 season.
Verdict: Resign
3. Jurickson Profar
To say the Jurickson Profar experiment has been successful is an understatement. The former top 2012 MLB prospect has had his fare share of struggles in Colorado.
In the offseason, Profar signed a $7.75 Million contract with the Rockies after spending the last three years in San Diego.
This year, the Rockies had hoped to use Profar as a leadoff hitter and relied on him to perform well in critical moments. However, only one of those expectations has been met as Profar has consistently served as a leadoff hitter but has yet to be the clutch hitter we have seen in the past.
Profar has a slash line of .241/.322/.369 with 39 RBI's eight home runs and has struck out 80 times already and is on pace to strike out at least 100 times this year.
With the emergence of Brenton Doyle, Nolan Jones, and, a young Zac Veen waiting to make his major league debut next season, the Rockies should be encouraged to stick with their young core of players who will look to lead the organization back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.