Colorado Rockies

Although there has been no indication that the Colorado Rockies plan to trade superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado, he is reportedly generating interest.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, "multiple teams" have called the Rockies to express interest in Arenado, but the talks "went nowhere."

The Rockies signed Arenado to an eight-year, $260 million contract last year, but since he has an opt-out clause after the 2021 season, it is possible the Rockies could lose him to free agency.

Given what he has accomplished over the past five seasons, the argument can be made the Arenado is the best player in baseball regardless of position.

The 28-year-old has been named to five All-Star teams in a row. He also won four Silver Sluggers at third base and has won the National League Gold Glove at third in each of his seven MLB seasons. Arenado is a three-time Platinum Glove winner as well, which is given to the best all-around defender in the majors.

Playing half his games at Coors Field has undoubtedly helped Arenado's numbers just like previous Rockies stars such as Larry Walker and Todd Helton, but his stats are undeniable. Over the past five campaigns, Arenado has never hit worse than .287 or clubbed fewer than 37 home runs and 110 RBI.

That includes three seasons with at least 40 home runs and three seasons with at least 130 RBI. He led the NL in both homers and RBI in 2015 and 2016, and last season he hit a career-best .315 with 41 home runs and 118 RBI.

Despite those numbers, Arenado has never finished better than third in the NL MVP voting, but he has been eighth or better in five consecutive seasons. The Coors Field stigma and the fact that Colorado only made the playoffs in two of those five seasons likely played into it.

Trading for Arenado would be a something of a risk for any team for multiple reasons, the biggest of which is the opt-out clause that could allow him to become a free agent after two more seasons.

His home/road splits differ significantly. While he has hit .324 with 129 home runs and 446 RBI during his career at Coors Field, he has hit just .265 with 98 homers and 288 RBI otherwise despite appearing in one more road game (516) than home game (515).

Even without Arenado, the Rockies have a fairly stacked lineup that includes Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story, Daniel Murphy and Ian Desmond. Hitting never has and likely never will be an issue for Colorado.

The Rockies' biggest need is starting pitching that can thrive in the thin Colorado air. If the Rockies believe they can land such starters in an Arenado trade, then the possibility is at least worth exploring.

The Colorado Rockies will be without starting pitcher Jon Gray for the remainder of the season.

On Wednesday, the Rockies announced they placed Gray on the 60-day injured list due to a left foot fracture.

They selected right-handed pitcher Tim Melville from Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move, and he will start Wednesday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in place of Gray.

This setback is all the more unfortunate for Gray because he was in the middle of a bounce-back season.

He has a 3.84 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 150 strikeouts in 150 innings this year after posting a 5.12 ERA in 2018. The right-hander has resembled the version of himself who finished the 2017 season with a 3.67 ERA, and much of it is due to impressive showings at home.

Gray has a 3.46 ERA at home and 4.22 ERA on the road, which is all the more notable because the Rockies play in hitter-friendly Coors Field.

As for Melville, he hasn't pitched at the major league level since the 2017 campaign when he was a member of the San Diego Padres and Minnesota Twins. He hasn't exactly been dominant in the minor leagues this year either with a 5.42 ERA, but he can serve as a spot starter for a team that is in last place in the National League West.

The 57-69 Rockies are playing out the string at this point, meaning Gray's health for the start of next season is the priority.

Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl has been placed on the 10-day injured list after suffering a high ankle sprain in his right ankle during Friday night's game against the San Francisco Giants, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com.

Dahl had to be carted off the field in the top of the sixth inning after suffering the injury, which occurred as he attempted to stop his momentum after slightly overrunning a fly ball.

X-rays taken Friday night came back negative, per MLB.com's Jenny Cavnar, but Harding reported an MRI performed Saturday confirmed a sprain.

Colorado manager Bud Black noted on Friday that it appeared as though Dahl had been lucky the injury wasn't more serious, per ESPN News Services:

"Anytime a guy goes down and it looks bad, I think there's a sickening feeling amongst all of us. You hate to see those things happen to your own, and David has been so instrumental in the middle of our order, playing good defense. You just hate to see that happen ... but it could have been worse."

It's just the latest tough luck for Dahl on the injury front. He missed the entire 2017 campaign with a stress reaction in his ribs, and he missed more than two months last year with a broken right foot.

The 25-year-old was in the midst of his finest season to date, hitting .302/.353/.524 with 15 home runs, 28 doubles, five triples and 61 RBI in 100 games. He had been hitting especially well at hitter-friendly Coors Field this year, slashing .349/.402/.598 with an OPS of 1.000 in 52 home games.

That overall performance led to his first All-Star selection.

Losing Dahl will be a tough blow for the Rockies. Dahl had made at least one appearance in every spot in the lineup, though he spent the majority of the time in the heart of the order. Meanwhile, his versatility had allowed the team to use him where needed, as he had made 24-plus appearances in each of the three outfield spots this season.

Colorado (51-59) is currently 7.5 games back in the National League wild-card race.

Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl suffered a gruesome ankle injury while making a catch during Friday night's game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field in Denver.

Dahl, who was selected for his first MLB All-Star Game last month, was carted off the field.

Ian Desmond entered the Rockies' lineup in his place.

Dahl entered the night with a .302/.353/.526 slash line and 15 home runs in 99 appearances. His .879 OPS ranked 17th in the National League.

The 25-year-old Alabama native's rise into an everyday player for Colorado had been delayed on several occasions because of injuries.

"I've been hurt a lot early in my career, and a lot of crazy things have happened," Dahl told reporters in early July. "But I've persevered through them, and it just makes you realize how much you love playing."

Desmond, who'd been starting in left field as of late, is likely being shifted back to center for as long as Dahl is sidelined. Garrett Hampson and Raimel Tapia are probably going to split the extra playing time.

The Colorado Rockies "would listen to offers" for four-time All-Star Charlie Blackmon ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, according to MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.

Morosi, however, added the odds of Blackmon moving this season "are remote," citing both his popularity and limited no-trade clause that includes 15 teams.

The Rockies have no pressing need to deal Blackmon right now. He's signed through at least 2021 and has a $21 million player option in 2022 and a $10 million player option for 2023.

This isn't the time for Colorado to start selling off its veteran assets, either, despite sitting at 47-52, five games back of the final wild-card spot in the National League. Trading Blackmon five months after giving Nolan Arenado an eight-year, $260 million extension would send mixed messages to the fanbase.

Having said that, Blackmon would carry plenty of trade value, be it now or in the offseason. He's batting .319 with a .602 slugging percentage, 21 home runs and 60 RBI through 82 games and boasts a proven track record.

The concerns about whether his offense translates outside of Coors Field could dampen his market slightly, though. He has a 1.000 career OPS at home compared to .737 on the road, per Baseball Reference, and the contrast is more stark this year (1.318 at home, .657 on the road).

Colorado is wise to keep all of its options open. Morosi cited pitching as a clear need, so trading Blackmon would potentially be one way to address that. Perhaps a desperate general manager would be willing to go over the top in order to land the two-time Silver Slugger.

But considering all of the factors at play, fans can probably rule out a midseason move.

Two of Major League Baseball's hottest hitters rode a wave of momentum to earn American League and National League Player of the Month honors.

MLB announced on Wednesday that New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu and Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon were named as the top players in their respective league for their work in June

Blackmon's performance in June is more impressive considering he missed the first seven days of the month with a strained right calf. 

After returning to the Rockies on June 8, Blackmon went on an absolute tear by hitting .412/.441/.835 with 10 homers and 25 RBI in 22 games. The four-time All-Star set an MLB record for most hits in a four-game series (15) against the San Diego Padres from June 13-16. 

LeMahieu leads the AL with a .341 batting average. The Yankees All-Star hit a robust .395/.434/.638 in 25 games and hit six of his 12 homers in June. 

Both players will ride their wave of momentum into the All-Star Game in Cleveland on July 9. LeMahieu is making his third appearance in the Midsummer Classic, but this will be his first time as a starter. Blackmon was named to the NL squad for the fourth time in the past six seasons. 

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon has been put on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain, according to the team. 

Blackmon finished fifth in National League MVP voting after an All-Star 2017 season. He hit .331/.399/.601 and led the NL with 213 hits, 137 runs scored and 14 triples.

Last season saw Blackmon continue his dominant performance with an .860 OPS in 156 games. He once again led the NL with 119 runs scored. He's off to a strong start in 2019 with 28 extra-base hits (10 homers) and an .921 OPS. 

The 32-year-old has been one of Colorado's most durable players over the previous three seasons, with the exception of one short DL stint in 2017 due to turf toe. He's shifted to right field in 2019 to help preserve his legs. 

Blackmon has become one of Colorado's best offensive weapons, setting the table for Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story to drive him in.

The Rockies have done a good job of building outfield depth, as David Dahl is capable of playing all three positions. Yonathan Daza, who was called up from Triple-A on Monday, should see more time in the outfield with Blackmon sidelined. 

The Colorado Rockies are reportedly expected to call up shortstop Brendan Rodgers, whom MLB.com rates as the team's No. 1 prospect, from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported the update Thursday, noting the "move has been under discussion for some time."

Rodgers, who is MLB.com's No. 10 overall prospect, was selected by the Rockies with the third overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft.

The 22-year-old Florida native made a steady rise through Colorado's minor league system. He struggled during his first taste of Triple-A last year with a .554 OPS in 19 games, but he has a .356/.421/.644 triple-slash line and nine home runs in 35 appearances this season.

Isotopes hitting coach Tim Doherty told reporters that Rodgers' judgment of the strike zone has improved since his initial stint with the team:

"He's getting back to what he is comfortable doing and making the proper adjustments to the type of pitching that he's seeing, the same thing we did in Double-A. It's understanding more of the game and what the pitchers are trying to do to him and what he needs to try to do to the pitchers. That's really kind of what's taking place. His approach has become much more disciplined. He's staying in the strike zone a whole lot better. Is there a lot of work that goes on in the cage behind the scenes? Absolutely. But at the same time, it's all the application that takes place during the game."

Rodgers has posted a .353 on-base percentage with 66 homers and 24 stolen bases in 385 games across six levels of the minor leagues before getting his first call-up to the big club.

It's unclear exactly how he'll fit in to the Rockies' plans at the outset. Starting shortstop Trevor Story suffered a minor knee injury Wednesday, but he doesn't expect to miss much, if any, time with Colorado.

"It's just a knee bruise," Story said Wednesday. "It's good news for sure, and it's good that we have a day off tomorrow. It will be good to have a day of rest."

Rodgers also gained some experience at second base and third base in the minors, so it's possible the Rox will use him all around the infield to give Story, Nolan Arenado and Ryan McMahon some rest.

It's unlikely they would recall their top prospect to ride the pine, so expect him to see in the lineup consistently one way or another starting Friday.

The Colorado Rockies have agreed to a five-year, $43 million contract extension with starting pitcher German Marquez, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Passan.

The deal will cover at least Marquez's first year of free agency and includes a club option for 2024 that turns into a mutual option if he has two top-three Cy Young finishes.

Marquez is eligible for arbitration through the 2022 season.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal shared more details on the agreement:

The move continues the trend of younger players opting for long-term security over testing the waters in free agency.

The Atlanta Braves confirmed Tuesday they signed left fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. to an eight-year, $100 million extension. According to Passan, Acuna can earn as much as $124 million over 10 years. The Tampa Bay Rays signed American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell for five years and $50 million ahead of the 2019 season.

Marquez's contract has the potential to be a bargain for Colorado. The 24-year-old was 14-11 with a 3.77 ERA and 3.40 FIP in 2018, per FanGraphs. He also averaged 10.6 strikeouts and 2.6 walks per nine innings. 

The 6'1", 225-pound right-hander started the Rockies' second game this year, allowing one earned run and striking out seven over six innings in a 6-1 win over the Miami Marlins.

For years, the Rockies struggled to cultivate homegrown pitching, which led to splashy free-agent signings such as Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle. 

Marquez didn't come up through the Rockies system since the team acquired him in 2016, but the Venezuelan has clearly made strides under the franchise's watch. He, Kyle Freeman and Jon Gray have shown the Rockies are turning a corner in terms of their player development.

Of the three, Gray will be the first to hit free agency, yet he's still under team control until 2022.

Colorado answered one of its biggest looming questions when it handed Nolan Arenado an eight-year, $260 million extension. Locking up Marquez for the long term as well shows the owners and the front office are committed to winning a World Series with the current core. 

Colorado Rockies announced Monday first baseman Daniel Murphy has been placed on the injured list after being diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of the left index finger.

As Nick Groke of The Athletic noted, the veteran first picked up the injury after making a diving stop at first base in Friday's game against the Miami Marlins.

Murphy is 1-for-10 so far in two games in 2019.

The 34-year-old missed significant time last season due in part to having surgery to repair articular cartilage in his right knee. 

Splitting time between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs, Murphy put together a solid 2018 with a .299/.336/.454 slash line in 91 games. 

The Rockies felt confident enough in Murphy's ability to remain healthy and boost their lineup to give him a two-year deal in December. He was shifted from second base to first base in an attempt to ease the burden on his legs. 

While Murphy's absence does hurt Colorado's depth, the team can insert either Ryan McMahon or Mark Reynolds in at first base.

The Rockies figure to be in a fight with the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the National League West this season, so losing a middle-of-the-order stalwart like Murphy for even a brief period of time could shift the balance of power in the division.