The Colorado Rockies (28-38) are at the basement of the MLB standings and sit 9.5 games (last place) behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West. The club has made no indication of selling at the trade deadline, but one of their big-name players could garner interest in the coming weeks.
Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has seen limited time on the field over the past two seasons, but his health is holding up this year as he looks to find his rhythm. In 61 games he's batting just .243/.310/.423 with 29 runs scored, 10 home runs and 27 RBIs, but he has witnessed a surge in the month of June, which is likely helping his trade value.
The 29-year-old is batting .306 with 9 runs scored, 6 home runs and 14 RBIs in 16 games this month.
Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post says the Rockies should work on moving Gonzalez. The two-time All-Star is owed just under $50 million through 2017 and Colorado would be smart to consider getting value for him with the way they've been playing. They're going to have to trade someone if they won't part ways with Troy Tulowitzki, right?
"Only a month ago, there was no trade market for the slumping Gonzalez, who couldn't buy a hit with his $16 million salary," he wrote. "But as his team has become a dumpster fire in June, Gonzalez has risen from the ashes. The Rockies, with no reliable starting pitching and no real chance of making the playoffs, need to consider trading CarGo while his bat is hot.
"The Rockies need starting pitching. And that forces general manager Jeff Bridich to make a tough decision for a franchise that has long been known for ignoring trouble today, even if a festering problem is doomed to get worse tomorrow.
"Could trading Gonzalez return two young arms with strong potential? And would the Rockies know how to develop those arms into major-league starters?"
Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe ... (you know how Mark Wahlberg finishes the famous line in The Departed.)
Gonzalez has been mentioned sparingly in trade rumors since the offseason, but now that the deadline is approaching his name is bound to pop up more.
ESPN's Jayson Stark included Gonzalez on his "Ten names to watch as the trade deadline approaches" list and analysis, but his assessment of the outfielder isn't too promising.
"We get very little sense from clubs that have spoken with the Rockies that they think they can get enough back for Troy Tulowitzki to justify trading him now. ('Nobody trusts him enough,' said one NL exec, 'to give them what they'd want.') ... He hasn't played more than 110 games in a season since 2012. And his contract triggers a $1 million relocation payout if he gets traded. So he'd need to have a big month to get someone interested. Then again, there appears to be a massive shortage of outfield bats on this market."
Well, he's having a great month right now and if it spills into July then the Rockies will certainly have something to work with. A number of MLB clubs are searching for a left-handed power-hitting outfielder (cough, Los Angeles Angels, cough) and Gonzalez provides just that when he's healthy.
We often times don't give players the benefit of the doubt when they return from injuries and instead simply expect them to pick up right where they left off (with Cincinnati Reds' first baseman being a prime example). Well, CarGo is another example. He played only 180 total games in 2013 and 2014 as he dealt with two finger injuries as well as knee and ankle issues. This 60-plus game stretch in 2015 is perhaps the first he's endured since mid-2013 without hitting the disabled list or being listed as day-to-day.
Keep an eye out for teams to inquire about the 29-year-old in the coming weeks.
