What to expect from the Rockies this offseason: wants, needs and inevitabilities

Armchair General Managers unite as the time to speculate on what the Colorado Rockies should do this offseason is upon us. 

How does one fix a baseball team that won only 68 games last season and has missed the postseason the last four years?

It may not be easy as it appears and it certainly won’t be done over the course of a few months, but that doesn’t mean GM Bill Schmidt and the Rockies aren’t going to try.

Thursday marked the official start of over 200 free agents roaming the wilderness in search of a new employer.

Colorado’s questionable track record in free agency suggest there’s a better chance of making improvements to the roster via the trade market. Schmidt will need to blend these approaches in order to field the club’s first winning season since 2018.

It’s not a stretch to say every aspect of the team could benefit from upgrades, but the Rockies may not see it exactly this way.

Here’s a rundown of what Colorado will be looking to do this offseason:

Starting Rotation

Free Agents: RHP José Ureña, RHP Chad Kuhl

Can you recall the last time there were major concerns about the rotation at 20th and Blake? (Can you even believe there was a time in which starting pitching was actually the backbone of the club?)

Bud Black’s starting rotation has exactly five options right now. Outside of Kyle Freeland and Germán Márquez exists a series of question marks.

The typically reliable Antonio Senzatela needs to recover from ACL surgery before anyone knows how much consistency he can supply in 2023. 

Austin Gomber appeared destined to become a stalwart of the rotation after his first year with the club following only to struggle so much last season that he was banished to the bullpen. Ryan Feltner was fairly dependable for five innings, but his promise as a viable option beyond this rookie season remains to be seen. 

The Rockies will need to add at least one starting pitcher this offseason, maybe even two if the recovery time for Senzatela is longer than anticipated. Friday’s announcement that Ureña would return on a one-year deal worth $3 million crosses off one thing from Schmidt’s list.

Should these additions not work out, it might not matter how much the rest of the roster improves.

Free Agents targets: Wade Miley* (CHC), Zach Davies (ARI), Michael Pineda (DET), Michael Lorenzen (LAA), Trevor Williams (NYM)

*Left-Handed Pitcher

Bullpen

Free Agents: RHP Alex Colomé, RHP Scott Oberg

Just four relievers threw significant innings with an earned run average below 5.00 this season. Yet somehow, as a group, they were average for a Rockies’ bullpen. 

Of the club’s six relievers with the most innings pitched in 2022, four are either free agents or with another team. That’s 196 innings for which they’ll need to make up. And the number could be much more than that.

Lucas Gilbreath and Tyler Kinley were out with injuries and their delayed return could further cloud the situation in the bullpen. Even if Gilbreath is able to return before Kinley’s mid-season projection, that makes for only one left-handed option.

Adam Ottavino has experience at Coors Field, Brad Boxberger less-so, and Pierce Johnson is a Colorado native. All would make the Rockies comfortable guaranteeing money to the most volatile role in the sport.

This has to be the biggest area in which Colorado will need to be creative in bolstering the roster.

Free Agent targets: Adam Ottavino (NYM), Steve Cishek (WAS), David Robertson (PHI), Pierce Johnson (SD), Brad Boxberger (MIL), Michael Fulmer (MIN), Adam Kolarek* (OAK), Garrett Richards (TEX), T.J. McFarland (STL)

*Left-Handed Pitcher

Infield & Catching

Free Agents: SS José Iglesias

The Rockies have some depth in their infield going into 2023. However, with C.J. Cron having the lone All-Star Game selection under his belt, the star power on the dirt come up short at the moment.

An infield of 1B Cron, 2B Brendan Rodgers, 3B Ryan McMahon and SS Ezequiel Tovar will bring back a solid form defensively, but there ability to hit the long ball is a pressing need from this group.

Colorado lost the ability to hit for power over the past two seasons. They hit 149 home runs in 2022, 8th-fewest in MLB and fewest for the franchise in a full season since 2013. By comparison, the last three teams to reach Rocktober featured a minimum of 95 home runs from infield. 

The trio of Cron, Rodgers and McMahon hit 62 last season. It would be quite lofty to think the 21-year-old Tovar could make up the difference with a 30 homer campaign in his first full-season and the club cannot put those expectations on the rookie shortstop.

That being said, the infield is mostly settled and likely sufficient.

Elias Díaz will return as will Brian Serven as his backup, but behind them is a system of young catchers that may entice other teams to reach out to the Rockies.

Elehuris Montero will provide similar intrigue around the league.

Between Cron and Michael Toglia set to share first base and McMahon contracted through 2027, there isn’t any room on the corners for the top prospect acquired in the Nolan Arenado trade.

Unless…

If Colorado believes Montero can man the hot corner and moves McMahon back over to second base, then Rodgers could become an even more enticing trade chip.

With the shift no longer stealing base hits from left-handed hitters in shallow right field, the defensive range of second basemen will be critical and as valuable as ever. Just so happens the Rockies have the Gold Glove Award winner in the National League.

Free Agent targets: Jace Peterson (MIL)

Outfield & Designated Hitter

Free Agents: None

A healthy Kris Bryant is a major upgrade over last season. Randal Grichuk also returns where he posted similar numbers to his previous six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays.

Other than switch-hitter Toglia, the outfield has a slew of right-handed hitters in Yonathan Daza, Sean Bouchard and Connor Joe.

Charlie Blackmon will return for his 13th season in purple and along with McMahon represent the only left-handed bats on the 40-man roster.

With Blackmon and Grichuk free agents after 2023 and Toglia likely to supplant Cron at first base in 2024, there is a lot of ground to cover in the Coors Field outfield while first-round picks Zac Veen and Benny Montgomery await their big league debuts.

Brandon Nimmo has been the one name linked most to Colorado. The Wyoming native would fill three voids: center fielder, left-handed bat and leadoff hitter.

He’s been given a qualifying offer by the New York Mets, which means the Rockies would lose their 3rd round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft should they sign him. For a team that prides themself on drafting and developing, such a forfeiture is more of a luxury than necessity. 

Free Agent targets: Brandon Nimmo (NYM), Kevin Kiermaier (TB), Jackie Bradley Jr. (TOR), Robbie Grossman (ATL)