Could Trading Gold Glove Winner Brenton Doyle Be Key to Rockies Turnaround?

Will trading Brenton Doyle fix the Colorado Rockies' pitching mess, or are they about to regret losing their best defender?

May 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle (9) reacts after striking out against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies survived a historically awful 2025 campaign, losing 119 games. Now they face a decision that could define their rebuild: whether to trade two-time Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle.

Multiple Teams Pursuing Rockies Center Fielder Brenton Doyle

Aug 23, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle (9) circles the bases on a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Padres, Phillies, Mets, and Yankees have all inquired about Doyle's availability with Colorado. The 27-year-old slashed .235/.284/.394 with 15 home runs in 138 games during 2025, a significant drop from his 2024 breakout when he hit .260/.317/.446 with 23 homers.

Despite the offensive regression, Doyle remains attractive to contenders. He's projected to earn just $3.2 million in 2026 and won't reach free agency until 2030, giving acquiring teams four years of team control at minimal cost. His elite defensive tools and 96th percentile sprint speed make him valuable even with the bat struggling.

The Rockies haven't aggressively shopped Doyle, but are listening to offers. Denver Post (subscription required) beat writer Patrick Saunders noted that trading Doyle might be necessary for the team's new direction under president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes.

The biggest concern for interested teams is Doyle's road performance. He hit just .162 away from Coors Field last season with a .460 OPS, compared to .306/.341/.502 at home. This dramatic split makes teams question whether his 2024 success was sustainable or simply inflated by Denver's thin air. Still, the combination of defensive excellence and team control keeps the phones ringing.

Why a Doyle Trade Makes Sense for Colorado's Turnaround

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Rockies need starting pitching after posting a 6.65 rotation ERA in 2025, the worst for a starting staff since 1913. They ranked last in multiple pitching categories, including ERA, quality starts, and strikeouts. DePodesta has prioritized fixing the pitching, acknowledging at the winter meetings that acquiring "a couple starting pitchers" is on the offseason to-do list.

Trading Doyle would address that need while signaling a genuine commitment to the rebuild after three straight 100-loss seasons. His trade value could bring multiple pitching prospects from teams with depth to spare, like Kansas City. The math is simple: Colorado needs quality arms more than outfield defense.

The timing works in Colorado's favor. They have prospect Charlie Condon, ranked second in their system, who could eventually fill an outfield spot. Trading Doyle now, while he still has value despite the down year, makes more sense than gambling on a rebound. If he struggles again in 2026, his market could disappear entirely.

Manager Warren Schaeffer promised fans they'll see "winning baseball in Denver a lot sooner than you think." Making that happen requires difficult decisions. The Rockies went 43-119 with a minus-424 run differential, the worst in modern baseball history.

Moving Doyle would sting. He won back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2023-24 and recorded the fastest throw by a position player since at least 2015 at 105.7 mph. But Colorado can't build around defense alone when their pitching staff allowed more runs than any rotation in over a century.

Trading a popular player for pitching help would show the new regime means business about fixing what's broken, and that the organizational overhaul extends beyond front office titles.

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