The Colorado Rockies are having a difficult 2021 MLB season.
The team is 37-48 and struggling to stay afloat in the National League West.
The Rockies are set to lose several key players to free agency after the season, and star shortstop Trevor Story is one of them.
Story has been a fan favorite in Colorado since his debut in 2016, but the era is about to come to an end.
In fact, it will likely come to an end before we even reach the offseason.
The Rockies would be wise to trade Story away (along with any other players on expiring deals) in order to maximize their deadline return.
If and when the 28-year-old Story gets moved, there are a handful of well-documented possible landing spots.
But which two off-the-radar teams could swoop in and land him?
2. Oakland Athletics
With their budget constraints, the Oakland Athletics rarely get a chance to house superstar players.
But trading for a star as a rental is certainly an avenue that the team can take to do so.
Oakland’s current shortstop Elvis Andrus is having a rough 2021 season.
He is batting just .228 with a .574 OPS and has a -0.1 WAR.
Andrus has had some great defensive seasons throughout his career, but this 2021 campaign hasn’t been one of them.
Story would provide a massive upgrade.
Story is having a slightly down year, but he has still been an above-average hitter.
For his career, he’s batting .275 with an OPS of .868.
He averages 35 home runs per 162 games and also adds some elite defense at shortstop.
Did Trevor Story just make the play?
We're 3 outs away 👀 pic.twitter.com/hjHVbYHsyK
— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2021
What’s not to like?
He would fit in great for a scrappy Athletics team that has legitimate title aspirations.
1. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees should act as sellers at the upcoming deadline, but there’s a real chance that they won’t.
And if they don’t, they’d better make it worth their while by adding some legitimate talent to repair the countless holes in their roster.
They might as well start at the shortstop position.
Gleyber Torres is having a miserable season at the plate, batting just .238 with a .635 OPS.
He has a WAR of just 0.3 and has committed 12 errors in 72 games defensively.
To reiterate, Story would be an immediate fix.
TREVOR STORY WITH 900 FEET WORTH OF HOME RUNS IN 24 HOURS pic.twitter.com/ud6LMcxvhg
— Starting 9 (@Starting9) July 4, 2021
He would repair the offensive and defensive concerns at that position for New York.
And with Torres under contract for several more years, it’s not ridiculous to think that the Yankees and Rockies could swap shortstops.
New York would likely want more in the deal than just Story if they’re going to lose a young talent like Torres, but his value is at an all-time low.
Who says no?
Wrap-Up
Story will provide a spark wherever he lands.
Many MLB fans will never forget his rookie season in which he launched 27 home runs in just 97 games in 2016.
He has been a household name around the league since then.
Rockies fans will hate to see their homegrown star go, but they could always try to bring him back in free agency after the season ends.
The 2021 MLB Trade Deadline is on July 30.
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