Rockies Offseason Acquisition Discusses Trade, Preparation for 2026

The Colorado Rockies have had a somewhat quiet offseason in terms of roster moves so far, but one of their key pickups of the winter seems ready to go.

Jun 11, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General wide view of Coors Field before the game between the San Francisco Giants against the Colorado Rockies. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies have made a few smaller-scale moves this winter to try to supplement their roster, but it has otherwise been a pretty quiet offseason on that front.

While the front office and coaching staff have certainly seen notable changes, the roster has remained largely the same, at least as of now, due to how many changes they underwent in such a short span.

One of the few moves they have made so far was bringing in pitcher Brennan Bernardino via trade, acquiring him from the Boston Red Sox for Braiden Ward. Bernardino has been a reliable spot-starter for the Red Sox the past few seasons, as well as a quality relief arm who has managed to get them out of some really difficult situations.

Brennan Bernardino in May ⬇️

16 appearances (MLB lead)
12.2 IP
0.71 ERA 🔥
6 BB / 10 K

"My role is whenever they call my name, just try to go get the job done... I think there's value in that." pic.twitter.com/Qykt1LQyXI

— NESN (@NESN) June 1, 2025

With a desperate need for more pitching that can be reliable and really set the tone in 2026, the Rockies seem to have made a good decision with this pickup. While not much has been said about the deal since then, Bernardino recently spoke to the media about the trade and his readiness level for the upcoming season, providing some insight on a minor injury he picked up late in 2025.

What Did Bernardino Have to Say Regarding His Offseason Trade?

David Butler II-Imagn Images

In an interview with SiriusXM's MLB Radio, Bernardino had the following to say about his minor injury, and the trade that sent him to Colorado:

"My lat's feeling good, my body's feeling good, ready...getting that itch to get back to baseball right now, and I'm really pumped to be with the Rockies. It was cool to...when he told me over the phone, after I got traded, like 'hey you're my first move', I'm pretty honored for that, it feels good to be wanted, especially by somebody with such a great resume."

He also mentioned the concern for pitching at altitude is something he is not particularly new to, as when he pitched in Mexico, he was dealing with a similar altitude above sea level, so he has experience with this type of carry on the ball. It will be intriguing to see if he is able to revert to that type of pitching to avoid hard contact, with his most recent appearance professionally in Mexico being in the winter of 2022.

With Michael Lorenzen also coming into the fold for 2026, Colorado has done well to add a few low-risk options who could end up being valuable contributors; it is just a matter of whether or not they can adjust to the new ballpark.

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