Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are reportedly expected to call up shortstop Brendan Rodgers, whom MLB.com rates as the team's No. 1 prospect, from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported the update Thursday, noting the "move has been under discussion for some time."

Rodgers, who is MLB.com's No. 10 overall prospect, was selected by the Rockies with the third overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft.

The 22-year-old Florida native made a steady rise through Colorado's minor league system. He struggled during his first taste of Triple-A last year with a .554 OPS in 19 games, but he has a .356/.421/.644 triple-slash line and nine home runs in 35 appearances this season.

Isotopes hitting coach Tim Doherty told reporters that Rodgers' judgment of the strike zone has improved since his initial stint with the team:

"He's getting back to what he is comfortable doing and making the proper adjustments to the type of pitching that he's seeing, the same thing we did in Double-A. It's understanding more of the game and what the pitchers are trying to do to him and what he needs to try to do to the pitchers. That's really kind of what's taking place. His approach has become much more disciplined. He's staying in the strike zone a whole lot better. Is there a lot of work that goes on in the cage behind the scenes? Absolutely. But at the same time, it's all the application that takes place during the game."

Rodgers has posted a .353 on-base percentage with 66 homers and 24 stolen bases in 385 games across six levels of the minor leagues before getting his first call-up to the big club.

It's unclear exactly how he'll fit in to the Rockies' plans at the outset. Starting shortstop Trevor Story suffered a minor knee injury Wednesday, but he doesn't expect to miss much, if any, time with Colorado.

"It's just a knee bruise," Story said Wednesday. "It's good news for sure, and it's good that we have a day off tomorrow. It will be good to have a day of rest."

Rodgers also gained some experience at second base and third base in the minors, so it's possible the Rox will use him all around the infield to give Story, Nolan Arenado and Ryan McMahon some rest.

It's unlikely they would recall their top prospect to ride the pine, so expect him to see in the lineup consistently one way or another starting Friday.

The Colorado Rockies have agreed to a five-year, $43 million contract extension with starting pitcher German Marquez, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Passan.

The deal will cover at least Marquez's first year of free agency and includes a club option for 2024 that turns into a mutual option if he has two top-three Cy Young finishes.

Marquez is eligible for arbitration through the 2022 season.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal shared more details on the agreement:

The move continues the trend of younger players opting for long-term security over testing the waters in free agency.

The Atlanta Braves confirmed Tuesday they signed left fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. to an eight-year, $100 million extension. According to Passan, Acuna can earn as much as $124 million over 10 years. The Tampa Bay Rays signed American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell for five years and $50 million ahead of the 2019 season.

Marquez's contract has the potential to be a bargain for Colorado. The 24-year-old was 14-11 with a 3.77 ERA and 3.40 FIP in 2018, per FanGraphs. He also averaged 10.6 strikeouts and 2.6 walks per nine innings. 

The 6'1", 225-pound right-hander started the Rockies' second game this year, allowing one earned run and striking out seven over six innings in a 6-1 win over the Miami Marlins.

For years, the Rockies struggled to cultivate homegrown pitching, which led to splashy free-agent signings such as Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle. 

Marquez didn't come up through the Rockies system since the team acquired him in 2016, but the Venezuelan has clearly made strides under the franchise's watch. He, Kyle Freeman and Jon Gray have shown the Rockies are turning a corner in terms of their player development.

Of the three, Gray will be the first to hit free agency, yet he's still under team control until 2022.

Colorado answered one of its biggest looming questions when it handed Nolan Arenado an eight-year, $260 million extension. Locking up Marquez for the long term as well shows the owners and the front office are committed to winning a World Series with the current core. 

Colorado Rockies announced Monday first baseman Daniel Murphy has been placed on the injured list after being diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of the left index finger.

As Nick Groke of The Athletic noted, the veteran first picked up the injury after making a diving stop at first base in Friday's game against the Miami Marlins.

Murphy is 1-for-10 so far in two games in 2019.

The 34-year-old missed significant time last season due in part to having surgery to repair articular cartilage in his right knee. 

Splitting time between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs, Murphy put together a solid 2018 with a .299/.336/.454 slash line in 91 games. 

The Rockies felt confident enough in Murphy's ability to remain healthy and boost their lineup to give him a two-year deal in December. He was shifted from second base to first base in an attempt to ease the burden on his legs. 

While Murphy's absence does hurt Colorado's depth, the team can insert either Ryan McMahon or Mark Reynolds in at first base.

The Rockies figure to be in a fight with the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the National League West this season, so losing a middle-of-the-order stalwart like Murphy for even a brief period of time could shift the balance of power in the division. 

Former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton has entered a treatment facility, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel's Hayes Hickman. 

Hickman reported Helton was cited for driving under the influence on March 18, when he drove his truck into a telephone pole. His attorney, Stephen Ross Johnson, released a statement about his decision to start treatment.

"Todd is currently in a residential treatment program outside of East Tennessee, receiving the care he needs," Johnson said. "He realizes there are parts of his behavior that need to change, and he is focused on doing just that. While there has not been a final court decision about his citation, Todd is still taking action." 

According to Blair Miller of Denver7 News, police were unable to perform a field sobriety test on Helton the scene because he had been taken to a local hospital for injuries he suffered in the crash. He submitted a blood sample at the hospital.

Helton pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired in May 2013. Under the terms of his plea deal, he was placed on probation for one year, received a $400 fine and had to perform 24 hours of community service.

Helton spent 17 seasons in MLB, all with the Rockies. The team retired his No. 17 jersey in August 2014. He was the first Rockies player to have his jersey retired at Coors Field.

Nolan Arenado is off the market after the Colorado Rockies signed their All-Star third baseman to an eight-year contract extension, the Rockies announced Tuesday.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Arenado will receive $260 million over the life of the deal. ESPN.com's Jeff Passan provided more of the details:

Arenado was set to become one of the top free agents available after the 2019 season. The 27-year-old set an arbitration record in February when he received $26 million for one year.

After the Rockies were able to secure a one-year deal with Arenado, owner Dick Monfort said he was optimistic the two sides would find common ground on a long-term extension.

"I'm optimistic that we are close enough that something will come about," Monfort told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. "It's in Nolan's hands, but my last impression with him is that this is something he wants to do."

The Rockies haven't been shy about handing out long-term deals in an attempt to extend their playoff window. Charlie Blackmon agreed to an extension in April that runs through at least 2021. They tried to fortify their bullpen before the start of 2018 by signing Bryan Shaw, Wade Davis and Jake McGee.

Even though Shaw, Davis and McGee struggled in their first season in Colorado, the team advanced to the National League Division Series. The Rockies have made the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons, though they're still looking for their first postseason win since 2009.

Arenado is Colorado's franchise player and will lead the team as far as it is going to go. He has won the Gold Glove in each of his first six seasons, been named to the NL All-Star team four times and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting every season from 2015 to '18.

Rather than take the risk of being outbid for Arenado's services next offseason, the Rockies secured a commitment from their superstar.

He's at an age when a long-term extension figures to age well, and the front office can now focus on adding players around him to keep the team among the best in the NL for a long time to come.

Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado will reportedly be paid a record-breaking amount before he even hits free agency, as the team announced its reached an eight-year contract extension with its star third baseman.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the eight-year offer from the National League West team, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted it is worth $260 million with a full no-trade clause and opt-out after three seasons.

Passan provided additional details:

Bob Nightengale of USA Today also reported the extension plans, noting it will replace the contract that was set to pay him $26 million this year. The new deal will break Miguel Cabrera's $31 million record for annual salary for a position player.

Arenado has been with the Rockies his entire six-year career and didn't seem in a hurry to leave, per Nightengale:

"It's such a great place. I really enjoy the fact there's a comfortability here. You know the coaches. You know the players. Some of my best friends are on this team.

"I grew up here in this organization, so it feels like home in a way. I've been here since the tide has changed, and that's a really good feeling. I was part of that change.

"You want to win in a place where you've been all of your life."

Locking down Arenado makes sense. He's the face of the franchise and is just 27 years old with plenty of time remaining in his prime. He is a four-time Silver Slugger, four-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glover, and is one of the league's best two-way players.

Colorado reached the playoffs the last two seasons in large part because of his presence.

Arenado has played at least 156 games in each of the last four years and averaged 40 home runs and 126 RBI per season in that span.

Signing this extension also allows him to avoid free agency, which has been slow to develop this offseason for notable names such as Bryce Harper, Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel. Each is still unsigned with spring training games underway.

After leading the team to the postseason in each of his first two seasons on the job, Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black has been rewarded with an extension. 

The Rockies announced Monday they have signed Black to an extension through the 2022 campaign.

Colorado was in the midst of a seven-year playoff drought and was coming off a 75-win season when Black was hired. He led the team to a 12-win improvement during his first year as skipper and helped the team (91-72) come within one victory of tying a single-season franchise record en route to its second consecutive playoff appearance.

The Rockies tied the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the NL West through 162 games but were unable to capture the division title in a tiebreaking Game 163. They would, however, go on to defeat the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card Game before ultimately being swept out of the National League Division Series by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Black has been named an NL Manager of the Year award finalist in each of his first two seasons in Colorado. He previously won the honor back in 2010 while he was with the San Diego Padres.

At 178-147 (.548 winning percentage), Black is the winningest manager in Rockies history. In fact, no other Colorado skipper has ever finished his tenure with a winning record.

The 61-year-old Black has a career 827-860 record, going 1-4 in the postseason, in 11 years as a manager in the majors.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado agreed to a one-year, $26 million deal with the Colorado Rockies through arbitration, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

That's the most money one player has received through the arbitration process, according to Rosenthal. Per Dan Gartland of Sports Illustrated, the previous high was the $23 million that third baseman Josh Donaldson earned with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.

Arenado has led the National League in home runs three of the past four seasons. A six-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star, Arenado had 38 home runs, 110 RBI and a .297/.374/.561 slash line last year. He's finished in the top 10 of NL MVP voting four times and is entering his age-28 campaign.

The Rockies had made the playoffs just three times in their first 24 years of existence, but Arenado has helped Colorado reach the postseason in back-to-back seasons for the first time.

The future will be bright in Colorado as long as the team inks Arenado to a long-term deal during next year's offseason, when he'll become a free agent. Jon Heyman of Fancred, who reported that the club and player were $6 million apart before the sides met close to the middle, also mentioned that "it's very hard to see [Arenado] signing before free agency.

As far as the 2019 season goes, the Rockies should be playoff contenders once again. While they did lose second baseman D.J. LeMahieu and relief pitcher Adam Ottavino (and potentially Carlos Gonzalez, who is still a free agent), the Rockies added Daniel Murphy, who has slashed .326/.375/.542 over the past three seasons. Also, southpaw Kyle Freeland looks like a bona fide staff ace after he went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA last year.

Colorado opens its 2019 campaign on the road against the Miami Marlins on Thursday, March 28.

The Colorado Rockies have not given up on retaining Carlos Gonzalez.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the Rockies are among the teams that have reached out to the veteran outfielder.

Gonzalez, 33, spent the last decade in Colorado. He was a three-time All-Star and 2010 NL batting champion. Injuries somewhat derailed his trajectory; he's spent extensive time on the disabled list throughout his career.

Gonzalez hit .276/.329/.467 with 16 home runs and 64 runs batted in last season. He bounced back to post a 1.7 WAR after an ugly -0.1 mark in 2017, per FanGraphs. The two sides agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal for the 2018 season.

"A lot of people (were) counting me out six years ago," Gonzalez told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post in September. "I'm still showing up. I never think about it. I always think about the opportunity I have in front of me. Just being here is a tremendous opportunity for me.

"I try to take advantage every night. I try make my family proud. My fans, everybody who supports me every day and this franchise. I've been here for so long. I do it for everybody. That's all I think about."

Wherever Gonzalez lands, he'll likely have to be satisfied being part of a platoon at first. The Rockies tapered off his playing time later in the regular season, though he was a fixture in their postseason lineups. His age and mostly middling production of the last two years likely means he's going to have to settle for another short-term contract, whether it's in Colorado or elsewhere. 

Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado is going to get paid and will reportedly set a record in the process. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Arenado asked the Rockies for $30 million in arbitration. While the Rockies countered at $24 million, Rosenthal noted the four-time All-Star would set the record for arbitration salary even if the two sides settled on the Rockies' number.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today confirmed the report, calling Arenado "the biggest prize in next year’s free agent market."

Jeff Passan of ESPN.com cited a source who said the likely final number will be approximately $27 million, breaking the $23 million record that Josh Donaldson set with the Toronto Blue Jays. 

It is no wonder Arenado, who made $17.75 million during the 2018 campaign, is asking for a significant raise since he's developed into one of the league's most dominant two-way and durable players.

He is a six-time Gold Glover and four-time Silver Slugger who is just 27 years old and coming off four straight seasons where he played at least 156 games. He slashed .297/.374/.561 with 38 home runs and 110 RBI in 2018 and has averaged 39.5 long balls and 125.8 RBI over the last four years.

Colorado has made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, and he's a major reason why after it missed the prior seven years.

While Arenado's eventual free agency figures to generate plenty of headlines should he reach the open market next offseason, for now, he is looking for a record total in arbitration in what could be his last year with the only team he has ever known.