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The Colorado Rockies announced today that they have agreed to a one-year deal with right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles, avoiding arbitration.

The move is a surprise insofar as the team elected to keep Lyles at all, but he will be making less than he would have had he gone to arbitration and now the Rockies get to keep him for relatively cheap and hope that he fulfills the promise he began to show in a relief role when he moved to the bullpen midway through the 2016 season.

This is the first piece of official player news to come from the organization, kicking off the winter of 2016/2017. Obviously not a blockbuster move, it does give some insight to the Rockies early thinking, namely that they are likely to stockpile bullpen arms like Beanie Babies from the late 90s.

The reports that they are interested in Mark Melancon will be encouraging to those who hope the Rockies go big in the ‘pen, but this is an under-the-radar insurance move that very well could pay off in the area the Rockies most desperately need some payoff.