Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are showing faith in Bud Black as their manager going forward. 

Per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, Black signed a one-year extension earlier this month that ties him to the Rockies through the 2023 season. 

Black is entering his sixth season with the Rockies after being hired in November 2016 to replace Walt Weiss.

The Rockies signed him to a three-year extension in February 2019 that was set to expire after the 2022 season. 

Black's tenure in Colorado got off to a strong start with back-to-back winning seasons in 2017 and 2018. The Rockies made the playoffs both years, losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2017 National League Wild Card Game and Milwaukee Brewers in the 2018 NLDS. 

Since the start of 2019, the Rockies have been among the worst teams in the National League. They have gone 171-212 during that span with three consecutive fourth-place finishes in the NL West. 

A lot of the issues are related to a series of poor trades and reduced payroll that make it difficult to compete in the same division as the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. 

Nolan Arenado, who signed an eight-year, $260 million extension in February 2019, was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for five players prior to the start of last season. 

The Athletic's Keith Law wrote at the time of the deal that the Rockies "just dumped a contract, failing to acquire any players who seem likely to be part of the core of their next playoff team."

Colorado's payroll went from a franchise-record $145 million in 2019 to $53 million in 2020, per Cot's Baseball Contracts. The payroll was back up over $100 million last season, but they still finished 16 games behind the Cardinals for the second wild-card spot in the NL.     

There is reportedly another suitor in the Kris Bryant sweepstakes.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Colorado Rockies are "obviously aiming to compete in 2022" and are interested in signing the former Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants star to help them do just that.

Robert Murray of FanSided previously reported the Seattle Mariners were interested in Bryant even though he is not expected to sign before a possible Dec. 1 work stoppage.

Colorado would be hard-pressed to find a better immediate upgrade to its lineup in free agency than Bryant.

The 29-year-old is a four-time All-Star who won the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year and the 2016 NL MVP during his time with the Cubs. During his MVP-winning season, he also helped Chicago break a World Series championship drought that dated back to 1908, and he helped lead the Giants to the playoffs last season.

Bryant started his career as a third baseman, but part of his value is his ability to play anywhere in the outfield and at first base if needed. That versatility could allow the Rockies or any other team to pursue other options even if they signed Bryant.

He slashed .265/.353/.481 with 25 home runs and 73 RBI last season for the Cubs and Giants and is a playoff-tested veteran.

Colorado missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and finished in fourth place in the NL West at 74-87 in 2021. It has plenty of ground to make up in a daunting division that features contenders in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Giants and San Diego Padres, although signing Bryant would represent an addition for Colorado and a subtraction for San Francisco.

Such a move would also bring some star power back to the Rockies after they traded Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 2021 season. Trevor Story is also a free agent, although Heyman previously reported they are interested in re-signing the two-time All-Star shortstop.

Perhaps teaming up with Bryant in hitter-friendly Coors Field would be an intriguing situation for Story as the Rockies look to build a contender.            

Star shortstop Trevor Story declined an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the Colorado Rockies, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Story will now hit MLB free agency. Should he sign elsewhere, the Rockies will receive a draft pick as compensation. Many expect the two-time All-Star to ply his trade elsewhere in 2022, so his decision to turn down the qualifying offer wasn't a surprise.

Colorado decided to keep Story through the 2021 MLB deadline, which was somewhat unexpected because the team clearly wasn't going to make the playoffs—the Rockies finished 74-87.

"I'm confused, and I don't have really anything good to say about the situation and how it unfolded," Story told reporters at the time.

General manager Bill Schmidt, however, made it pretty clear the franchise would be happy to watch the 29-year-old leave and collect the compensation pick, per MLB.com's Thomas Harding:

With the way the system is set up, there's a financial component to it. Depending where the pick is, it's probably a couple million dollars added to your [signing] pool money that you're able to use throughout the draft. So it's just not that player. It might be a couple other players.

“But with that pick, that was where Trevor was drafted. Nolan [Arenado] was in the vicinity, Ryan McMahon—we've had some success. We've had some misses, but we've had a lot of success in those areas.

Following the conclusion of the regular season, Story said he might still be willing to return to Denver. What he identified as a main focus in determining his next destination, however, effectively took the Rockies off the table. 

"Winning is at the top of the list, and that's something that has always meant the most to me," he told reporters. "I think this is a chance for me to kind of see where that's at."

One reason Story might have taken the qualifying offer was that it afforded a level of certainty at a time of volatility.

MLB owners and the MLB Players Association might be facing a work stoppage, which would put any normal offseason business on the back burner. And with free agency formally underway, Story is one of multiple prominent shortstops hitting the open market.

Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Javier Baez are all available to the highest bidder, so Story's representatives could have a hard time pinpointing their client's earning power right now.

The Texas native put together a solid 2021 season but was still a level or two below what he delivered in his back-to-back All-Star seasons in 2018 and 2019.

In 142 appearances, he had 24 home runs, 75 RBI and a .251/.329/.471 slash line. Per Baseball Savant, he had a .448 expected slugging percentage and .341 expected weighted on-base average. Those numbers both declined for the third straight year.

🚨 Trevor Story bat flip 🚨 pic.twitter.com/3LOro2yKqK

— MLB (@MLB) August 18, 2021

Story's home and road splits will likely raise some concerns as well. He has a .972 OPS at Coors Field and a .752 everywhere else in MLB for his career, according to Baseball Reference.

Of course, the same questions surrounded Nolan Arenado, who had 34 home runs and a .494 slugging percentage in his first season with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Story should be able to find a new home before Opening Day, but he may not get the kind of payday that appeared to be headed his way a few seasons ago. Having said that, turning down the qualifying offer shouldn't wind up being a big mistake given both his earning power and the overall state of the Rockies.

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Luis Castillo and Colorado Rockies right-hander German Marquez are unlikely to be traded this winter, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. 

Both pitchers have been linked in trade rumors since the 2021 campaign ended. 

The Reds are likely to cut payroll this winter, and Castillo was seen as a prime candidate to be moved. The 28-year-old is arbitration-eligible through the 2023 season and is projected to earn $7.6 million in 2022. 

A report earlier this week by Jon Morosi also suggested the Reds were more open to trade discussions about Castillo than they've been in the past. The Los Angeles Dodgers had been linked to the former All-Star, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  

Castillo went 8-16 during the 2021 season with a 3.98 ERA, 1.364 WHIP and 192 strikeouts in 187.2 innings across a career-high 33 starts. He also had a 4.8 WAR. 

The Dominican native made his MLB debut in 2017 and has gone 40-49 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.220 WHIP across five seasons. 

Marquez, meanwhile, was listed as a "name to watch" earlier this week by Morosi, who added the Rockies are "certainly going to cycle through and maybe get a little bit younger” this winter. 

However, Marquez won't become a free agent until after the 2024 campaign. He signed a five-year, $43 million contract with the Rockies in April 2019. 

The 26-year-old earned his first All-Star selection in 2021, when he went 12-11 with a 4.40 ERA, 1.272 WHIP and 176 strikeouts in 180 innings across 32 starts. He also had a 3.3 WAR. 

With Castillo and Marquez likely off the market, look for teams to instead eye some of MLB's top free-agent pitchers, including Zack Greinke, Marcus Stroman and Anthony DeSclafani.  

The Colorado Rockies can take some solace knowing they took a step toward keeping shortstop Trevor Story.

Colorado will offer the 28-year-old an $18.4 million qualifying offer, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Story will have until Nov. 17 to decide if he wants to accept or reject the one-year tender.

If Story rejects the offer, he could still potentially re-sign with Colorado. The team would receive draft-pick compensation if he signs with another club in free agency.

This means there is at least interest from the Rockies when it comes to keeping one of their franchise cornerstones after trading Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2021 campaign. Story expressed disappointment at the time.

"Nolan's one of my best friends, baseball aside, so this hurts," he said of the trade, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. "He's the best third baseman in the game. I'm sad and a little frustrated to be honest. All I can do is focus on playing the best baseball I can for my teammates and the fans. They deserve it."

Playing the best baseball he could helped Story quickly establish himself as one of the best infielders in the league.

He slashed .251/.329/.471 with 24 home runs and 75 RBI during the 2021 campaign and is a two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger. Power has never been an issue with Story, as he launched 37 home runs in 2018 and 35 home runs in 2019.

Story even hit 27 home runs when he played just 97 games as a rookie in 2016.

He is more than just a power hitter, though, as evidenced by his .291 batting average in 2018 and .294 batting average in 2019. He is also an excellent fielder and is responsible for 69 defensive runs saved above average during his career, per FanGraphs.

The shortstop also brings plenty of speed on the basepaths with three seasons of 20 or more steals and a league-high 15 during the shortened 2020 campaign.

Story is a multi-tool star in the middle of his prime. The Rockies took a step toward keeping him on the roster even if they no longer have Arenado.

Now that the Atlanta Braves have been crowned World Series champions, teams are gearing up to make moves on the open market, and the 2021 free-agent class is loaded.  

However, there's going to be some competition for MLB's most prominent stars. Regardless, let's take a look at the latest rumors regarding outfielder Nick Castellanos, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. 

Rockies targeting All-Star OF Nick Castellanos?

The Colorado Rockies are interested in adding to their outfield this winter, and Nick Castellanos is among the players the club is reportedly targeting, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden. Michael Conforto and Starling Marte are also on their list. 

The Cincinnati Reds announced Thursday that Castellanos exercised the opt-out clause in his contract and will become a free agent this offseason. He had two years and $34 million remaining on his four-year, $64 million deal.

Castellanos is coming off one of his best seasons in MLB. He hit .309/.362/.576 with a career-high 34 home runs and 100 RBI in 138 games. 

Aside from Charlie Blackmon, who has spent his entire 11-year career in Colorado, the Rockies lack star power in the outfield. During the 2021 campaign, the club relied on Raimel Tapia, Yonathan Daza, Garrett Hampson and Sam Hilliard in the outfield. 

While Blackmon played most of the 2021 season in right field, he could shift to left or center in 2022 if the Rockies were to acquire Castellanos, who is primarily a right fielder. Also, with MLB likely to implement a universal designated hitter next season, either Blackmon or Castellanos could serve that position. 

However, the Rockies will face tough competition for the 29-year-old. The Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs have also reportedly been linked to the star outfielder, which means a bidding war could be on tap. 

Yankees looking for improvements at several positions?

The New York Yankees are reportedly looking for upgrades at catcher and in center field, according to Bowden. The Bronx Bombers are also reportedly interested in adding a starting pitcher. 

The Yankees could absolutely use help at catcher after inconsistent seasons from Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka. Sanchez slashed .204/.307/.423 with 23 home runs and 54 RBI in 2021. He also remains a defensive liability. Higashioka was even worse, hitting .181/.246/.389 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI. 

Sanchez has popped up in trade rumors in each of the last four seasons, and New York's desire to upgrade at the position has been known for a long time. However, it's unclear which players the Yankees might be targeting. 

Yan Gomes, Martin Maldonado, Stephen Vogt and Sandy Leon are among the catchers currently headed for free agency. Christian Vazquez, Mike Zunino and Roberto Perez could hit the open market if their club options are declined. 

As for center field, the Yankees could use an upgrade from Brett Gardner, who is far removed from his 2017 21-homer season. During the 2021 season, he hit .222/.327/.362 with 10 home runs and 39 RBI. 

New York also used Aaron Judge and Tyler Wade in CF at points last season. 

Ian Desmond, Starling Marte and Kevin Pillar are among the centerfielders available on the open market. However, it's unclear if the Yankees are interested. 

The Yankees actually had one of the better pitching staffs in 2021, with a 3.74 ERA, which was sixth-best in baseball. However, they could use depth behind Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery, with Corey Kluber entering free agency and Jameson Taillon recovering from an ankle injury. It's also important to mention that Luis Severino is an injury risk, which further jeopardizes New York's depth.  

There are several talented free-agent starting pitchers available, too, including Zack Grienke, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman. 

Red Sox focusing on bullpen depth, but in the market for a shortstop?

The Boston Red Sox will reportedly focus on improving their bullpen this winter, according to Bowden. However, they "also could be a sleeper in the shortstop market," Bowden adds. 

"Don't get me wrong, they love Xander Bogaerts," Bowden writes. "The thinking is they could sign a shortstop and move him to second base, or perhaps even consider moving Bogaerts there." 

The Red Sox bullpen was inconsistent throughout the 2021 season. It ranked eighth in strikeout percentage (25.6 percent) and 13th with a 3.99 ERA, according to The Boston Globe, but had the sixth-highest walk rate (10.8 percent) and seventh-worst WHIP (1.39). 

Boston could lose Garrett Richards, Adam Ottavino and Hansel Robles in free agency, while Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes, Hirokazu Sawamura, Josh Taylor, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck are among the relievers set to return. 

Regardless of who walks and who returns, the Red Sox have needed bullpen help for a while. Luckily, there are many talented relievers available, including Trevor Rosenthal, Andrew Miller, Craig Kimbrel, Joe Kelly and Brad Hand. 

Boston reportedly had its eyes on Hand, Alex Colome and Joakim Soria before the 2021 season. Colome and Soria will be free agents this winter.

As for shortstop, Bogaerts signed a six-year, $120 million deal in 2019, but he has the ability to opt out after the 2022 season, and he reportedly plans to do so, according to ESPN's Joon Lee. So, it's no surprise the team is interested in adding some insurance at the position.

The Red Sox have no shortage of options, either. Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Andrelton Simmons are among the players set to hit the open market. However, they'll face some tough competition for any of those players. 

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon has exercised the $21.3 million player option in his contract for the 2022 MLB season, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. 

Blackmon had quietly emerged as one of the National League's best hitters from 2016 through 2019. The Rockies rewarded his success with a six-year, $108 million contract extension in April 2018.

The 35-year-old Georgia Tech product posted a .314/.364/.576 triple-slash line with 32 home runs across 140 appearances in 2019. His .940 OPS ranked 11th in MLB among qualified hitters, per ESPN.

His numbers have since started to fade a bit. He compiled a .804 OPS with six homers in 59 games during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign, and a .761 OPS in 2021.

"I just try to win every pitch," Blackmon told reporters in 2020. "I don't think real big picture. I don't think too far ahead. I just try to do the right thing for that pitch."

Blackmon's track record features four All-Star Game selections, two Silver Slugger Awards and a batting title from 2017 when he finished with a .331 average.

Blackmon's decision to exercise the option doesn't come as a major surprise since he may have struggled to receive an offer over $20 million on the open market after the downward trend in his numbers over the past two years.

He holds another player option for 2023, so he can attempt to put together a bounce-back campaign next year and then decide whether to test the free-agent waters.

He'll likely slot into the middle of the Rockies' lineup to open the 2022 season.

Outfielder Ian Desmond won't be returning to the Colorado Rockies. 

The team chose to decline the $15 million club option on his contract for the 2022 season, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman on Thursday.

The Rockies will pay Desmond a $2 million buyout. 

The 36-year-old opted out of the past two seasons amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"For now, I've decided to opt out of the 2021 season," he wrote in February. "My desire to be with my family is greater than my desire to go back and play baseball under these circumstances. I'm going to continue to train and watch how things unfold."

"I've let my teammates know, as well as the coaching staff and the front office, and they have all been extremely understanding and supportive," he added at the time. "I wish nothing but the best for the entire Rockies organization and have let them know I am willing to do whatever I can to help them from afar."

Desmond last played in 2019, hitting .255 with 20 home runs, 65 RBI, 64 runs and a .788 OPS. The absence of the two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger Award winner was a blow to a Rockies team that ultimately finished 74-87 and fourth in the loaded NL West. It was the 10th time in the past 12 seasons Colorado missed the playoffs. 

After two seasons without him in the fold, the Rockies ultimately decided to cut ties and create some wiggle room on their salary sheet.

Assuming Desmond returns to play next season, he should have some interest from teams seeking a power bat in the outfield. The Florida native slugged .479 in 2019 and hit at least 20 homers in six of his past eight seasons.  

The Colorado Rockies have reportedly agreed to an extension with first baseman C.J. Cron, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Cron's extension is worth $14.5 million over two seasons, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The news comes as the team also agreed to a five-year extension with pitcher Antonio Senzatela, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Cron was set to become a free agent after signing a one-year, minor league contract with the Rockies in February. The 31-year-old came through with a career-high .281 average and .375 on-base percentage, adding 28 home runs and 92 RBI in 142 games.

Cron led the Rockies with a .905 OPS and represented one of the best values in baseball after making $1 million in 2021, per Spotrac. 

The veteran began his career with the Los Angeles Angels before bouncing around to four different teams in the past four years. He peaked with a 30-home run season with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 and followed it up with 25 homers for the Minnesota Twins in 2019, but he couldn't secure a long-term deal in either location.

A move to the Detroit Tigers proved disastrous for Cron, who hit just .190 in 13 games before a season-ending knee injury.

After rebuilding his stock with the Rockies, the slugger is now in line for a better deal going into 2022.

Colorado still has work to do after a third straight losing season, but keeping Cron puts the squad on the right direction going forward.