Rockies Reportedly Listening to Trade Offers for Two Young Prized Relievers

Colorado Rockies reliever Jake Bird may not be the only reliever on the team that could get move at the MLB trade deadline.

May 10, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; A detail view of a Colorado Rockies players hat and glove in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Most of the MLB trade deadline speculation around Colorado Rockies pitching has been around starter Germán Márquez and reliever Jake Bird.

Márquez is now on the 15-day injured list and he may not be moved. Bird is still getting plenty of interest and he could bring a haul.

But, per The Athletic’s Katie Woo and Will Sammon (subscription required), Bird isn’t the only reliever the Rockies are considering for trades.

Two other young relievers have piqued the interest of other teams — Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen.

Neither is a household name in the game. But, among insiders, the pair are turning heads for two reasons — their play and their controllable status as players.

Vodnik, a 25-year-old right-hander, is in his second full Major League season with Colorado. He is 3-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 31 games. He has struck out 30 and walked 17 in 30 innings.

He’s improved his ERA by more than a point from last season (4.28) and his opponent batting average by nearly 30 points to .229.

The Athletic pointed out that Vodnik has a four-seam fastball that averages 98.5 mph.

Halvorsen, a 25-year-old right-hander, is in his first full MLB season and has a 1-2 record with a 5.02 ERA. He’s appeared in 39 games and has nine saves in 12 chances, along with four holds. He has struck out 35 and walked 18 in 37.2 innings.

The Athletic wrote that Halvorsen has more gas than Vodnik, as his four-seamer averages 100.1 mph.

The ability to control both players’ rights for multiple years is likely to interest other teams if Colorado is willing to deal either. Vodnik can’t be a free agent until after the 2029 season, and Halvorsen can’t be a free agent until the offseason after that. Vodnik isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2027 and Halvorsen won’t be until 2028.

That will have great appeal to potential trade partners and could drive up the value of a deal for either player.  

The Athletic reported just that. He wrote that the asking price is “high” for Vodnik, while the Rockies would want a “big return” for Halvorsen.

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