Rockies Receive Warranted Stellar Mark In re-Grade of Trading Ryan McMahon to Yankees

The Colorado Rockies came out winners in their trade of Ryan McMahon to the New York Yankees.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

For the first time in a long time, the Colorado Rockies operated as a team that had a losing record and needed to rebuild ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Over the last few years, they have been hesitant to trade away homegrown players. Despite their dire situation, they would hold onto veterans for far too long, diminishing any value they may have had. That wasn’t the case this year when they pulled the trigger on a deal with the New York Yankees.

Ryan McMahon, a second round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, was the closest thing the Rockies had to a homegrown star. He had spent his entire career with the franchise up until being moved ahead of the deadline. It wasn’t an easy decision for the front office to make, but it was necessary and the right one.

At the time, it was a trade that was viewed positively for Colorado. They were able to get off of the remaining salary that McMahon was owed on a six-year, $70 million contract. Their books aren’t in bad shape by any means given the current state of the team, but saving money is never a bad move for a rebuilding team. It can be reallocated elsewhere on the roster.

In exchange for him, the Rockies received two pitching prospects: left-handed pitcher Griffin Herring and right-handed pitcher Josh Grosz. Herring was a sixth-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of LSU. Grosz was an 11th round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of East Carolina University.

Rockies Look Like Big Winners in Ryan McMahon Trade With Yankees

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Originally, both teams received strong grades for this deal. The Yankees were given a B and Colorado was given an A. In a re-grade done by Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report just over a month since the deal, only one of the team’s grades stayed stellar, and that would be the Rockies.

They still received an A grade for the deal. Buoying that grade is the performance of Herring, who has 39 strikeouts in 25 innings pitching at High-A with the Spokane Indians. He was recently named the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month with his dominant performance with his new franchise.

Griffin Herring’s first month in the @Rockies organization could not have gone much better. #GoSpo pic.twitter.com/2jocxIwAjK

— Spokane Indians (@spokaneindians) September 4, 2025

As for New York, its grade has dropped considerably. Rymer gave them a D. His drop in slugging percentage has been far from ideal, hoping McMahon would provide some pop at a position of need. He continues to make a positive impact defensively, so at least the Yankees have that to fall back on.

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