Colorado Rockies make minor trade that may have a huge impact

The Colorado Rockies swapped minor league relievers with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, each of whom has seen big league time over the last calendar year and were subsequently designated for assignment.

Colorado acquired left-handed reliever Zac Rosscup from Chicago for right-hander reliever Matt Carasiti.

Rosscup was added to the Club’s 40-man roster and was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. This leaves the Rockies 40-man roster at a full 40. Rosscup has spent parts of four seasons in the majors going back to 2013. He was designated for assignment late last week.

At 29, Rosscup will provide Colorado with a potential lefty specialist. He has been a menace to left-handed hitting, holding them to a .162/.303/.284 slash line over 45-plus innings. He has spent most of 2017 at Triple-A, posting 17 solid appearances there with a 12.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 2.60 ERA. He is in his final option year and has accumulated 2.105 days of service time.

The Rockies have Jake McGee and Mike Dunn in the backend right now as well as Chris Rusin as a long man, all lefties. In Triple-A they have Sam Moll who is on the 40-man roster as well as Harrison Musgrave and Jerry Vasto who aren’t.

As for Carasiti, 25, he was designated after making 19 appearances for Colorado in 2016, his only stint with the Major League club, going 1-0 with a 9.19 ERA in 15.2 IP, walking 11 and setting down 17. This season the Hartford native went 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 30.1 IP, walking 13 and striking out 43 in 27 appearances for Triple-A Albuquerque.

Rosscup provides more depth for a bullpen trying to get by even with the current construction of nine arms, in addition to a six-man rotation. With Jordan Lyles‘ poor outings, Chad Qualls‘ health and the up-and-down nature of others Rosscup will definitely see time at some point for the Rockies.

Rosscup has a fastball-slider mix, topping out at around 94 mph and sitting 92 mph.