Jul 3, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black (10) looks on in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Rockies are a clear trade deadline seller, but manager Bud Black has put a damper on some trade deadline plans with comments on one player.
Sitting 16.5 games back in the NL West, and since they have to play games on the road (6-31 record entering Tuesday), the Colorado Rockies are a clear seller as the trade deadline nears. Manager Bud Black surely knows that, but he has drawn a line in the sand with one particular player.
Shortstop Trevor Story is as good as gone in the next 3-4 weeks. Some others (Jon Gray, C.J. Cron) might appeal to contending teams too. German Marquez has become the ace of the Rockies pitching staff, with a 3.59 ERA, 105 strikeouts and three complete games over 18 starts this season (105.1 innings).
Multiple teams, in particular the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, are surely interested in a pitcher like Marquez. if not for a couple rough outings this year, his numbers would be even better. Getting him out of the not-so friendly confines of Coors Field might unlock a different level.
Rockies rumors: Bud Black puts a damper on some trade deadline plans
During an appearance on MLB Network Radio, Black talked about Marquez.
Black added he felt comfortable speaking for Rockies management and ownership. Marquez is under team control for two more years after this one, at fairly cheap salaries ($11 million in 2022, $15 million in 2023) with a $16 million club option for 2024. So if the Rockies have designs on contending over the next few years, as much as that might seem unrealistic, Marquez could be a key piece of the starting rotation.
But those years of team control also bolsters Marquez’s trade value, along with the annual premium on pitching at the deadline. So while it seems Black has squashed some trade deadline dreams, teams won’t stop calling on the Rockies’ best pitcher and the notion “he’s not going anywhere” is premature.