Greg Holland opts for free agency

Colorado Rockies closer Greg Holland has opted out of the second year of his two-year contract, making him a free agent.

This move is highly anticipated and does not necessarily mean that Holland’s days in Colorado are done. But it likely does mean that the relief pitcher and three-time all-star is in for a big raise.

Had he opted in to the final year of his deal, he would have made about $15 million in 2018. As it stands now, he is likely looking at a multi-year deal worth more money than that per year on average. Something in the neighborhood of three years for $60 million would probably be fair market value – and that might even be a bit conservative.

Holland was back-to-back National League reliever of the month for April and May, but finished the season on a down note, never fully returning to dominance and leaving a few open-ended questions about how long he can continue to be one of the best closers in baseball. But his numbers overall suggest he is still just that and will likely be paid accordingly.

Whether that money comes from the Rockies or someone else remains to be seen, so watch this space.

If he does leave, it would create a big hole in the Rockies’ bullpen that needed the addition of Holland to solve their biggest problem from 2016 and turn them from a promising team that couldn’t finish games into a legitimate threat.

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