It may not be shocking, and it certainly isn’t the conclusion for which many Rockies fans were hoping, but it’s now official.
For the first time since June 5, 2013, RHP Jon Gray is no longer associated with the Colorado Rockies.
The 30-year-old starting pitcher signed a four-year deal with the Texas Rangers believed to be worth $56 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Taken third overall in the 2013 MLB Draft, Gray was a beacon of light for a franchise looking to come out of a dark period in its history when the club lost an average of 94 games between 2012-15.
Though inconsistent at times, Gray helmed a homegrown rotation revolution at the corner of 20th and Blake Street, often pitching better at altitude than in the more pitcher-friendly confines elsewhere. He leaves ranked near or at the top of many pitching categories in Colorado’s 29-year history.
It wasn’t news to anyone when Gray entered 2021 in his final year of club control with free agency on the horizon after the season. With the club mired at the bottom of the National League in late-July, Colorado’s front office decided to pull him from the trade market. The industry scratched it’s head, but the idea by then-interim general manager Bill Schmidt was that the Rockies and Gray would eventually come together on a long-term deal that would keep the 6’4″ right-hander in purple for several more seasons.
Though it wouldn’t be until the final days of the regular season that the first offer was passed across the table to Gray – a contract worth roughly $35-$40 million over three years, as first reported by The Athletic – several more avenues offered less disappointing destinations for the organization.
Gray and his agents at CAA Sports rejected the offer with the confidence that the open market would offer more despite feeling comfortable in Denver. While the Rockies lost all leverage in the contract negotiations by this point, they still had another ace up their sleeve: the qualifying offer.
Valued at $18.4 million, the Rockies could have extended Gray the qualifying offer and either had him return for the 2022 season at that price – and give the two sides more time to orchestrate an extension – or watch him leave for greener pastures and cash in on a compensation pick in next year’s draft. Alas, the qualifying offer was not made to Gray and Colorado will receive nothing for their loss.
Now, nine months after the countdown timer on Gray’s contractual obligation to the Rockies was set to expire, the clocked ticked down to 00:00 on Sunday and the franchise has a giant crater in their starting rotation.
The loss of arguably the greatest starting pitcher in team history means an opportunity for someone else. RHP Peter Lambert, RHP Ryan Feltner and LHP Ryan Rolison are internal options for the club hoping to make the postseason for the first time since 2018.
Free agent options are still plentiful even after a flurry of transactions in recent days, but since the 2000-01 offseason when Colorado committed $121 million to LHP Mike Hampton and $51 million to LHP Denny Neagle, the Rockies have been very quiet in this market.
In the Rangers, Gray will be substantially closer to his hometown of Chandler, OK. He’ll have an opportunity to lead a young and inexperienced pitching staff on a roster that has also added 2B/SS Marcus Semien on a seven-year, $175 million deal and OF Kole Calhoun on a one-year deal worth $5.2 million.
He may even reunite with Trevor Story, as speculation about the Irving, TX product signing with his boyhood team continue to circulate even after Texas committed $236.2 million toward reinforcements.
Regardless, Gray’s absence means another end to an era in Colorado.
