Rockies Applauded for Adjusting Game Plan and Handling of MLB Trade Deadline

It has been a while since the Colorado Rockies aced an MLB trade deadline.

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It took being on pace to make some ugly history for the Colorado Rockies to finally operate like a team that needs to rebuild ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Whatever their reservations were to being all-out sellers in recent years ahead of the deadlines, that was not the case this year.

There were opportunities to cash in on some of their more desirable assets and they made the most of it, which is why Grant Brisbee of The Athletic (subscription required) used one word to describe how their deadline this year: “finally.”

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“Take the relievers with any value at all and trade them. It’s not a hard concept for a team that doesn’t have any momentum or direction or “good baseball players,” but it was really hard for the Rockies over the last few years. They finally did it, so everyone can applaud them. It gets even easier the next time, folks,” Brisbee wrote.

The Rockies got things started with the bullpen teardown when they traded veteran Tyler Kinley to the Atlanta Braves, who, oddly, were acquiring players despite their place in the standings.

Colorado’s biggest move with their bullpen came in a deal with the New York Yankees.

The two franchises already had a relationship built from a trade they made a few days earlier, centered around third baseman Ryan McMahon.

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A homegrown Rockies star, he was traded for two pitching prospects, lefty Griffin Herring and righty Josh Grosz.

Two more prospects were acquired in a separate deal centered around their emerging reliever, Jake Bird.

The Rockies received infielder Roc Riggio, who was the No. 10 ranked prospect in the Yankees organization, and right-handed pitcher Ben Shields.

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Even if those four prospects acquired from New York don’t amount to much at the Major League level, it was encouraging to see Colorado being willing to trade away players who produced but more than likely aren’t going to be around when the team is competitive again.

Cashing in on the value they presently have and taking a shot on some prospects is certainly the way to go.

Especially when their performance on the field was beginning to wane.

McMahon was in the midst of one of his least impactful offensive seasons of his career with a 91 OPS+. But, he could be a good platoon partner against right-handed pitching and is still a stellar defender.

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Bird was beginning to give up runs in bunches, including five earned runs in his final two outings with the Rockies.

His struggles followed him to New York, where he has already been demoted to Triple-A after two brutal outings sandwiched one clean inning.

It certainly looks as if Colorado pulled the trigger on deals at the perfect time.

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