The Rockies are open to trading second baseman Brendan Rodgers and right-hander Justin Lawrence, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Being open to a trade doesn’t necessarily mean one will come together, but it’s perhaps a notable stance since the Rockies have generally had a relatively low willingness to make their players available.
The outside perception of the Rockies has often been that they’ve been too confident in their internal assessments. In recent years, players like C.J. Cron, Elias Díaz and Daniel Bard were signed to ill-fated extensions instead of being dealt while they still had some trade value. Trevor Story wasn’t moved as his club control dwindled, departing for modest compensation after he declined a qualifying offer. Jon Gray didn’t even get the QO as the club seemingly believed they could re-sign him, but he went to the Rangers instead, with Colorado getting no compensation whatsoever. Owner Dick Monfort infamously stated that he thought the club could play .500 ball in 2023, a season they went on to finish 59-103.
But perhaps there is more realism now. The club did do a bit of selling at the deadline a few months ago, flipping relievers Nick Mears and Jalen Beeks. They finished 2024 with a record of 61-101, their second straight campaign with their loss tally in triple digits. There are some encouraging developments on the roster but perhaps the club is aware that short-term contention is a long shot.
There’s little reason for the club to be clinging too tight to Rodgers, as he is entering his final season of club control. He also hasn’t done much to establish himself as a core player, despite his past pedigree as a third overall pick and former top 100 prospect. He has taken over 1800 trips to the plate and has a line of .266/.316/.409, which translates to a wRC+ of 86, indicating he’s been 14% below league average overall.
The reviews of his defense have been mixed. Outs Above Average has given him a -5 grade for his career. He was above par in 2022 and 2023 but then dipped back down again this year. He has 12 Defensive Run Saved in his career but in bizarre fashion. He has been below average by that metric in most of his seasons but had a massive +22 showing in 2022, a figure that looks like a clear outlier.
He got his salary up to $3.2MM in 2024 and is due for one more raise in 2025, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a salary of $5.5MM next year. Given that price point and his performance, it makes sense the Rockies would be open to moving him rather than keeping him for one more year in which they are unlikely to compete.
But at the same time, the interest won’t be terribly high. Last year, free agents like Adam Frazier and Amed Rosario signed one-year deal for less money than the projected arb salary for Rodgers. Those two guys are back on the market now, as are second basemen like Brandon Drury, Enrique Hernández, Whit Merrifield and others. With those options, it’s hard to imagine a team giving up anything of value for Rodgers at this point.
Lawrence is perhaps a more intriguing trade candidate. He still has four years of club control and the Rockies could consider keeping him. But on the other hand, he’s a bit of late bloomer, turning 30 years old next month.
Relievers tend to be volatile, as Lawrence himself as shown. He seemed to have a nice breakout over 2022 and 2023, striking out 24.4% of batters faced and and getting ground balls on 49.4% of balls in play. His 11.2% walk rate was on the high side but he managed to post a combined 4.44 earned run average over those two seasons, not too bad for a guy spending half his time at Coors Field. He also seemed to grab a leverage role, earning 11 holds and saves apiece in 2023.
But in 2024, his strikeouts disappeared, falling to a 16.1% rate. He still got grounders but his walk rate also stayed high and the total package resulted in a 6.49 ERA for the year. He only secured two saves and five holds, falling down the pecking order.
He just qualified for arbitration as a Super Two player, but with a projected bump to just $1MM next year, barely over the $760K minimum. For four years of affordable control, some club might be intrigued by the possibility of what Lawrence could do away from Coors. For his career, he has a 6.96 ERA at home but a 3.86 mark on the road. But for the Rockies, a 30-year-old reliever with a growing salary isn’t someone you have to build around when you’ve just eclipsed 100 losses two years in a row, so they could listen to offers and see what’s out there.
Oh thank god willing to trade 2 players who suck and no one is dumb enough to trade for. The turnaround begins.
thaiss for rodgers?
Actually not a bad idea. Gives the Angels a stopgap second baseman, improves the Rockies catching depth and saves them a little money.
Why even announce this? Lawrence had a -1.7 WAR in 2024 and has a -1.2 WAR for his career. Rodgers has been a bust since Day 1, given his pedigree and high draft position. There are 100’s of players like this ‘available’ each year in baseball, but other clubs don’t make public announcements about it. I guess it shows how little talent Colorado has to make deals with. Sure they have a few young talented players they hope will be their core, but they are so far away from being a competitive ball club. It’s too bad as Colorado has one of the best fan bases in all of baseball.
Rodgers is worth more than thaiss
Bard had an ERA under 2.00 and 34 Saves a year ago, i think it’s premature calling his extension “ill-fated”
Check again. That good year was 2022. He sucked in 2023 and missed all of 2024 after elbow surgery. I think “ill-fated” fits.
In all fairness, Bard is still only 39 years old.
My mistake
$19 million for his 2023 and lost 2024 is ill-fated.
What not Kris Bryant? Huh
Bryant wasn’t an extension, he was a straight up FA signing.
Also premature? It’s already over.
They’re willing to trade the guy who walked the park, didn’t strike anybody out, and gave up homers at a bad rate? Shocking!
@inside out
Not sure why I can’t reply to you. The only options it gives me is Flag or Mute. I don’t want to do either.
Anyway. I would trade a dollar and some envelopes for 1 or both of them and send them to Double A minor league.
He’s muted you Jammer. You scared him.
Is there anyone he HASN’T muted?
Some people just like to hear themselves talk.
Interesting because I don’t recall the dude at all. But I’m muted also. Can’t remember ever replying to him but I must have said something funny and Bam I was ousted LOL.
Funny that hiflew—- the prince of the mute button chimed in on someone using the mute button.
and they’ll throw in an average second baseman! Bold moves from a bold organization.
The rays bout to acquire him for a lightly used mule and some “magic” beans and then fix him when he gets out of the clowncar that is the rockies organization.
2 bums!
I know it’s Colorado and the home/road splits are extreme, but Rodgers had an .888 OPS at Coors last year compared to .571 on the road. Perhaps there is more upside there than expected with the Coors Hangover being eliminated from the equation. Needs to stop hitting so many grounders though (don’t expect this to happen at age 27-28 though).
Lawrence was awful last season but getting out of COL is probably the best advice for any pitcher. He’s probably closer to getting non-tendered though than any team actually trading for him.
They are also now willing to trade Trevor Story.
For all of us MLB The Show players who grind XP vs the sorry old Rockies, Justin Lawrence is their only good reliever because of his funky delivery. We would be more than happy to see him traded.
I wonder if Cashman could send DJ back to retire along with a farmhand or two for Lawrence.
This is worse than the Giants willing to trade Yaz and Wade(almost seems like the Rockies trolling the giants) Rockies just had to one up them by saying they would be willing to sell garbage.
No surprise here Rodgers could be a good fit for a lot of teams
Seems like the Mariners found their next second baseman
That has been my thought for his clearest destination for the last year. Plus Jerry DiPoto has a good relationship with the Rockies as well. I could see him going to the Royals also because Massey has options and could possibly benefit from another year of seasoning.
“Last year, free agents like Adam Frazier and Amed Rosario signed one-year deal for less money than the projected arb salary for Rodgers. Those two guys are back on the market now, as are second basemen like Brandon Drury, Enrique Hernández, Whit Merrifield and others. With those options, it’s hard to imagine a team giving up anything of value for Rodgers at this point.”
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As I’ve been writing, the trend since the shift was outlawed is for teams to look at 2B as a middle-infield / defense-first position, often playing SS’s at the position while using them as back-ups to the teams starting SS.
While some of the players above can play 2B, they’re not especially good at it defensively (some used to be but got older). Now we plop Mr. Rodgers on the pile.
While my first thought was the Mariners – they’ve already been through Adam Frazier, Kolten Wong, and Jorge Polanco – guys that simply didn’t have it anymore…on O or D. So sure, I can see Dipoto giving something up for Rodgers. Taking a guy that doesn’t hit well away from Coors and having him play home games in T-Mobile Park and hoping for a miracle. Who knows? Perhaps Jerry’s due.
Maybe 3rd times a char….. oh wait, 1. Frazier 2
Wong 3. Polanco is there a 4th times a charm?
Id rather have 3 shots with her then whatever JD sticks in at 2nd. youtube.com/wa0tch?v=up4kcKQj_lw (just like hifle, shed have to be muted)
Rodgers definitely has JD stink emulating from him.
Lacks 2nd base D skills with subpar bat skills, expect a bullpen piece going to Col for Rodgers.
Massey is going to be 27 years old and has 800 big league plate appearances in the last 2 years. He doesn’t need minor league seasoning. He needs to take another step at the ML level or he just is what he is.
Highly unlikely.
Poor defense, poor offense outside of Denver (56 wRC+ on the road), no speed or even a threat to steal or take an extra base, often injured….
Seattle prefers athletic infielders. Rodgers is most definitely not that guy.
But Sean Bouchard makes a lot of sense for Seattle. He could serve as a fourth outfielder and platoon partner for Raley at 1B.
Rox continue to be high-level entertainment. I wonder what they are asking for? Top 100 prospect?
j/k, but now that they’ve made that proclamation, they will wind up keeping Rodgers, just to show that they think he has value.
Justin Lawrence hoping to lay low this offseason following an embarrassingly bad year.
MLBTR had other plans. Now everyone’s checking out his Baseball Reference page lol
Rockies need to trade some OF for SP. they have a ton of AAA OF’s.
A lot of garbage players on the team. Just DFA the whole team and bring up your AAA squad.
It is a little unfair to talk about only the bad extensions without mentioning the good ones. Ryan McMahon signed a 6/72 deal that has turned into an AS appearance and several GG finalists (and at least one flat out robbery of losing one). Ezequiel Tovar signing a big extension after his rookie year looks like it will be very good as well. There have been ups and downs due to injury, but signing Marquez, Freeland, and Senzatela has worked out well when they were on the field.
They’re such a weird team and organization, even their ineptitude isn’t interesting in any way.
Worst FO in baseball? They should at least put someone like McMahon on the block who has some value
& how much value does Ryan McMahon really have at $3/44MM?
That’s about market rate for what he gives you. He K’s at a high clip and doesn’t have tremendous power. I don’t think you get anything interesting back for him. The time to trade him was while he had those cheaper years left on his contract.
There’s no surplus value on him when the $16MM salary kicks in next season.
Exactly, that’s how bleak it is. When McMahon is your best trade chip (outside of Doyle and Tovar of course), that’s saying something.
McMahon’s hard hit rates make him baffling. He does play great defense though, so I wonder if a change of scenery and even an average offensive year make him worth a look. His splits last year actually looked better on the road (102 WRC+ with his defense makes him more valuable).
I remember reading about Monfort forcing their R&D head to fold laundry during the pandemic season. I don’t think the front office is the problem, no one can succeed under that owner.
Does Kris Bryant even show up to home games?
Nothing to see here. Keep moving.
Justin Lawrence is extremely underrated. The reason as to why he had a bad season last year is because his pitching style doesn’t work at Coors. The Mets should be all in on him as he’d be a great 6th/7th inning reliever
Rodgers has surprising pop at times, makes some terrific plays at times. His promise has exceeded his actual accomplishments. The Rockies have several prospects in the high minors who can accomplish at least as much. Rodgers is expendable and a change of scenery might do him good. He seems lethargic much of the time as a Rockie. Lawrence can make the ball do some strange things. If only he could figure out when that is going to happen and where it is going. The Rockies have 4 or 5 major leaguers and a bunch of players no one else would look twice at. I do think Bill Schmidt has done a pretty good job as GM the last few years. Bud Black has the patience of Job.
Brendan Rodgers biggest problem is that he is absolutely awful in cold weather. His April numbers for his entire career are just abysmal no matter what stadium he hits in. His September numbers are usually better than April, but he is at his best from May-August. The problem is that the bad April numbers are usually too much to overcome even with his above average summer months. That can mean a double edged sword though. It can show that Rodgers is better than the numbers say, especially if he goes to a warm weather city. But it also means that he might not be too great come playoff time. That is just conjecture, but the playoffs are usually played in colder weather, so who knows?
Rodgers to Seattle. Sounds good to me.
Please sell Monfort.
Seriously, I agree with the posters who think the two of them have almost no value. Maybe a AAAA guy or a fringy bullpen piece if someone’s feeling frisky, but that’s about all the Rockies should expect.
Rodgers has great range at 2b, Amador isn’t ready and 5.5m isn’t expensive for 2025. If Romo stays healthy, McMahon, Tovar, Rodgers, Toglia that’s a pretty damn good defensive infield with Doyle Manning center. Nolan Jones returns to form and platoon in Left. Marquez Senzatela close to form would be huge, Quantrill, Gomber Feltner add an arm in the pen and a starter they could be legitament but health is the issue.