During Sunday’s loss to the Marlins, the Rockies announced that RP Rayan González had not only been sent to Double-A Hartford, but optioned off the 40-man roster creating yet another available spot.
In the the previous weekend during a matter of 24 hours, outfielder Mike Tauchman was traded to the Yankees and catcher Tom Murphy was waived; this created two openings on the 40-man roster that allowed Colorado to add non-roster invitee Mark Reynolds to the big league club.
After the option of González, that leaves only 38 players on the 40-man roster. Speculation as to how the Rockies will use these two spots is varying.
With the 25-man roster set now that Pat Valaika is with the big club follow Daniel Murphy’s trip to the Injured List, the lack of need for the roster means that prospects such as Brendan Rodgers and Peter Lambert, as well as more experienced minor leaguers such as Drew Butera and Chi Chi González will simply go about their business until their addition is necessary.
Looking around the league, all rosters are set as teams begin their second series of the season, so poaching a player from another team – much like the Giants did with Tom Murphy – is not an option at this point.
While the payroll is the highest in franchise history and only $7 million to come off the books between Mike Dunn and Mark Reynolds, the Rockies could still look to the free agent market to bolster the roster.
Keep in mind, adding any veteran player means someone from the 25-man roster would need to be demoted to Triple-A as any player naturally reaching free agency will no longer have any options to begin their season in the minors.
Who’s available? Who’s a longshot? Let’s speculate…
Dallas Keuchel, Starting Pitcher
A lot would need to happen for GM Jeff Bridich to pick up the phone and call superagent Scott Boras in regards to his client. Keuchel, 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, and his agent are holding out hope that some contender will get desperate after a starting pitcher from the rotation goes down with an injury. Excluding Jon Gray’s calf cramp, the Rockies have as much depth at this position as any other. Plus, the track record for starters coming to Colorado and being successful is nearly non-existent.
Craig Kimbrel, Closer
Since the Rockies already have a well-paid closer, this should be another unlikely marriage. Well, not so fast. After spending over $100MM on the bullpen before the start of the 2018 season, there still appears to be a need for one more reliever to step up in a fashion in which Adam Ottavino did so last year.
The next obvious thought is that neither Kimbrel nor Davis would want to give up the closer’s role in the 9th inning; correct. The only way a union between all parties would work would be for Kimbrel to setup in the 8th inning. Though many teams have pitchers in their ‘pen with abilities to close, only one actually contains multiple closers: the New York Yankees.
In 2011, hot off the heels of his American League leading 45 saves, Rafael Soriano bought into the idea that as long as one were paid like a closer, then it shouldn’t really matter where he pitches; signed with the Yankees in 2011 to setup the great Mariano Rivera, Soriano opted to win a ring over accumulating saves. (The money didn’t hurt either.) Now, the Yankees regularly employ multiple closers in their pen and pay them as such.
Bringing Kimbrel to Coors would also serve as a check mate to the Milwaukee Brewers, who have been in talks with the 2018 World Champ after their own closer, Corey Knebel, went down for the season. Such a move would undoubtedly be costly, but one that would make many baseball pundits revise their prediction for NL West winner.
Evan Gattis, Designated Hitter and Catcher
Next to Nelson Cruz of the Minnesota Twins, Evan Gattis is one of the last true designated hitters in the game. A former catcher that once worked at Eldora Mountain Resort, Gattis played just four innings behind the plate in 2018. He did start 96 for the World Series Champion Houston Astros between 2016-17, but it’s unclear and doubtful if the 32-year-old’s body can hold up any longer as a catcher.
Matt Holliday, Outfielder and First Baseman
In what appeared to be his personal curtain call to Colorado fans, Holliday helped steer the 2018 Rockies into the postseason for the first time in consecutive years. Providing pop off the bench as well as protection in the middle of the lineup, the 38-year-old was a major presence for the club both on the field and in the clubhouse. Would Holliday want to do it all over again at 39-years-old and for a much longer period of time?
Dan Jennings. Relief Pitcher
The left-handed reliever that spent all of 2018 with Milwaukee has been around the league a few times in a little over five years of service time. With a slash line of .217/.301/.314 against left-handed hitters over the past three years, Jennings has a role on the Rockies. The University of Nebraska attendee pitched very poor during the spring with the Angels, but has proven to have the goods with his career 2.96 ERA.
Bartolo Colon
Seriously? Even though we here at BSN Denver could buy a mint after all the great shirts we’d produce for Big Bart, aka Big Sexy, it’s not happening for the 45-year-old starter.
Other players are still floating in the relative purgatory that is free agency, but none that would move the needle enough to urge the Rockies to make a change.
It will be a game of wait-and-see for the mystery men that populate the final two roster spots.
