The Rockies announced that they’ve placed third baseman Nolan Arenado on the 10-day injured list with left AC joint inflammation and a left shoulder bone bruise, released reliever Wade Davis and recalled outfielder Sam Hilliard.
This will end the 2020 campaign for Arenado, a five-time All-Star who posted the worst numbers of his career this year. In fairness to Arenado, he only played 48 games and accrued 201 plate appearances, but no one expected the big-hitting 29-year-old to slash .253/.303/.434 – way down from the .295/.351/.546 line he owned entering the season.
It’s now possible Arenado has taken his last at-bat with the Rockies, as his dissatisfaction with team management was well-documented last offseason and may not have gotten any better since. Arenado has made it clear that he wants to win, but at 23-29, the Rockies are in line to miss the playoffs for a second straight season. Of course, from their standpoint, there may not be any incentive to move Arenado off such a disappointing showing by the 29-year-old. Regardless, 2021 could be the last guaranteed season for Arenado, whom the Rockies signed to an eight-year, $234MM contract before 2019. That deal includes a post-2021 opt-out clause, though Arenado may be leery of exercising it in and leaving so much cash on the table.
Davis, meanwhile, became a DFA casualty on Saturday, ending a horrid stint in Colorado for the former lights-out right-hander. On an annual basis, Davis became the highest-paid reliever ever when the Rockies signed him to a three-year, $52MM contract before 2018. Unfortunately for him and the Rockies, though, his tenure with the club couldn’t have gone much worse. Now 35, Davis mustered a miserable 6.49 ERA and lost about 2.5 mph on his fastball in 112 1/3 innings as a Rockie.
Hope Wade Davis goes back to the Royals and is suddenly reinvigorated like Greg Holland.
Same here
Always amazed at the number of free agent pitchers who opt for Colorado. So few have succeeded, and for many it’s a career-killer.
It seems like Colorado has done a poor job since their beginnings making decisions on pitching overall. They’ve spent way too much money over the years on relievers that just haven’t panned out. Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle were some of the worst. And then they splurged on Ian Desmond by outbiding themselves.
Your post is unclear. Hampton and Neagle were starters, not relievers. You understand that Coors Field is especially hard on pitchers, right? In another ballpark, a front four of Marquez, Freeland, Gray, and Sentzatela would be pretty solid.
Marquez, Freeland, and Gray are all “pretty solid” already
But not consistently due to that ballpark. Gray was terrible in 2020, Freeland a year ago.
I kind of feel bad for the Rockies, and I’m a Giants fan. Pitchers just don’t work there. They signed free-agent pitchers and they bust out. They grow their own and they seldom pan out. Not only is it due to the air, but I think there’s a massive intimidation factor that gets in their heads.
Colorado does pay good though. Maybe, just maybe the player has an inkling that his end is nearing and when the Rockies dangle big dollars like they have done it is too tempting to say no.
Come on Dodgers! Go get Wade!
No need.
Giants*
He’s gotta be better than Trevor Gott, right?
Get him. The Padres own Davis.
I don’t believe that Arenado will opt out after 2021. Even if he wins the MVP next year teams are always wary of Coors products and I don’t see him getting any more than he already has.
The Rockies need to build their own pitchers. Let them pitch at Colorado Springs a couple of years to get used to pitching at altitude.
They moved the Colorado Springs team to Albuquerque. The starters actually were not the problem this year, inconsistent hitting and poor bullpen were the main issues.
All of the rockies big bullpen expenditures are all now out of the organization. Proving it doesn’t pay to spend big on such a volatile part of the roster.
As for Arenado, he would be crazy to opt-out in the wake of a year with little revenue and another facing the end of the CBA.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…Would the Rockies trade Arenado to the Cardinals for Carlos Martinez, Matt Carpenter, and Tyler O’Neal (or any other of their young outfielders except Carlson)?
WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?
carlos martinez is in the Cubs organization
Huh???
Absolutely not. O’Neill and Martinez aren’t that great of a package and Carpenter serves them no purpose whatsoever.
Carpenter could play third base for them. Otherwise, I agree with you. Thanks.
I don’t think Carpenter is a viable everyday player any longer