The Colorado Rockies infield looks a lot different now that Nolan Arenado isn’t playing for them anymore.
The likes of Josh Fuentes and Ryan McMahon often join star Trevor Story in the infield.
For the Rockies, it’s time to cash in on their shortstop, who will be a free agent after the season since he is on the last year of his deal with Colorado.
1. They Are Not Going Anywhere This Season
The Rockies, as of Tuesday morning, are in last place of the National League West division with a 15-27 record, by far the worst of the NL.
It makes no sense for them to hold on to Story for the rest of the season, since there is no way they can field a team competitive enough to overcome the hole they are in now.
The Rockies should be rebuilding, and if that means trading a few months of their best player, so be it.
They are going to lose a bunch of games anyway, so the Rockies might as well get something in return for their most attractive asset.
Story, who has been among the elite hitters and fielders on his position for years, could entice a contending team to make a move.
Story is still in the prime of his career at 28 years old, and has averaged 3.9 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR, in his last four full seasons, excluding 2020.
In parts of six seasons in the bigs, all Story has done is rake: He has 138 home runs and has also stolen 87 bases, all while playing premier defense and being an asset on the basepaths.
2. They Need to Restock on Assets and Risk Losing Story for Nothing
At the end of the season, Story will test the free agent waters, and the chances of him returning to Colorado are not particularly high.
The organization has several issues, starting from the top, and it’s Story’s chance to go elsewhere and try to win a championship.
Rockies' Trevor Story: I'm 'a little frustrated' after Nolan Arenado trade. https://t.co/s7Uh8Xnsfn pic.twitter.com/rSGyiOwBox
— theScore (@theScore) February 2, 2021
That’s why the Rockies would be smart to listen to offers for their prized shortstop.
It seems like only a matter of time before the Rockies trade Trevor Story. Where will he wind up? A look at some potential landing spots: https://t.co/bLno4a5pOd
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) May 12, 2021
In the grand scheme of things, the team that would acquire Story wouldn’t give up too many valuable assets since he is not cheap for the year (the prorated amount of $18.5 million) and would require a massive deal to sign for the long-term.
Basically, he is in a similar spot as Francisco Lindor when the New York Mets acquired him.
But that shouldn’t stop the Rockies from dealing him and seeing if they can get a legitimate prospect or three in return for one of the best shortstops in MLB.
This is an organization that is in dire need of some pitching in MLB, the upper minors, and the lower minors.
Three of the Rockies starters have an ERA above 5.00, and only Jon Gray’s 3.48 mark is lower than four.
The back of the bullpen is a mess, too, so if the Rockies can get some quality pitching in exchange for Story, they should do it.
Basically, they need to acquire some talent, and a Story trade is the best way to do it since they are not built to compete in the next couple of years.
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