Garrett Acton Move Reveals Rockies Not Averse to Roster Churn

The Colorado Rockies waived a player that hadn’t even put on a Rockies uniform, but that’s the reality of the offseason.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Garrett Acton. / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies don’t have any sacred cows at this point, and certainly not players that have been with the organization for less than three months.

On Tuesday, in a relatively minor move, the Miami Marlins claimed pitcher Garrett Acton off waivers from the Rockies. Colorado had designated Acton for assignment on Jan. 22 to make room for free agent signing Willi Castro.

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The move reveals just how difficult it is for any player on the fringes in Major League Baseball to keep a job, especially when they have no opportunity to impress a team on the field. Acton joined the Rockies in November when Colorado claimed him off waivers from Tampa Bay. Now, he heads back to Florida for spring training with the Marlins in Jupiter, Fla., instead of the Rockies’s spring training home in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Garrett Acton’s Career

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Garrett Acton. / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Acton does have Major League experience. He pitched six games for the Athletics in 2023, as he allowed eight earned runs and nine hits in 5.2 innings as he struck out five and walked five. He pitched in one game for the Rays last season, which went much better. He threw an inning of scoreless baseball for Tampa.

The problem for the right-hander is that he’s not been able to stick in the Majors. He made his debut with the Athletics in May of 2023, was demoted less than a month later, was moved to the minor league injured list and released by the franchise in July. He didn’t land with another team until December of that year when he signed a minor league deal with the Rays.

Tampa Bay moved him off the full season injured list and invited him to Major League spring training. She spent time on Triple-A Durham’s injured list in August and September before he was promoted to the Majors on Sept. 13. He was demoted back to Durham two days later. The Rays designated him for assignment on Nov. 3 and then the Rockies claimed him off waivers three days later.

Now, the former 35th round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 2016 will try and earn a job with the Marlins. And the Rockies will move with the assemblage of bullpen arms that they have.

Colorado has options in the bullpen, led by Jimmy Herget, who was last year’s top reliever. The rest of the relievers on the 40-man roster include Seth Halvorsen, Victor Vodnik, Juan Mejia, Zach Agnos, Antonio Senzatela, Brennan Bernardino, Jaden Hill, Luis Peralta, Welinton Herrrea, Pierson Ohl and Jeff Criswell.

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