Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes wants out of the Mile High City.
Take it from the man himself, per Nick Groke of the Denver Post:
You come from a ballclub that was competing for a spot in the playoffs. And you come to a club in last place. You think about that. … I’m at the point in my career that I want to win. I say it over and over. I want to win. I don’t want to spend the rest of my career on a last-place team. That’s not the kind of player I feel like I am.
Let’s unpack this, piece by piece.
Reyes, a four-time All-Star and a guy who used to get MVP votes, was in Toronto, on a team aiming for October.
Then, at the trade deadline, the Blue Jays shipped him to Colorado as part of the deal that brought another All-Star shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, north of the border.
Basically, the Jays swapped Reyes for what they perceived to be a better model.
Since Tulo arrived, along with ace southpaw David Price, Toronto has gone on a tear and is now locked in a dead heat for supremacy in the American League East. There’s a lot of baseball left, but it’s an increasingly safe bet the Jays will end their 22-year postseason drought.
Reyes could have been there. Instead, he’s toiling in Colorado, on a last-place team going nowhere. So his bitterness is understandable.
It also must grate a bit for Rockies fans to hear their new player label the franchise as a perpetual loser.
Read that quote again and notice how he said “the rest of my career,” not simply “the rest of the season.” That indicates Reyes isn’t sold on the idea of Colorado ever evolving into a winner, at least not in the two seasons—plus a team option for 2018—that remain on his current contract.
That contract—which will pay Reyes at least $48 million after this year—complicates matters.
Reyes has cleared waivers, per ESPN.com, meaning the Rockies can trade him this season, if there’s a taker.
That’s a big “if.”
Yes, Reyes’ overall numbers—a .279 batting average, 41 RBI, 19 stolen bases—are decent. And he’s picked it up after slumping initially with the Rockies, smacking a pair of home runs and driving in seven in 22 games.
But at 32 years old, Reyes is no longer an elite MLB shortstop. In 2006 and 2007, at the height of his powers, Reyes’ glove was good for 20 defensive runs saved (DRS), according to FanGraphs.
In 2014 and what we’ve seen so far of 2015, that’s plummeted to a minus-27 mark.
That’s only one measure, and all defensive stats have their limitations. But it paints a stark picture of a once-stellar defender in decline.
The long-term answer is probably to shift Reyes to second base, and there are clubs with a need there.
A deal this season seems unlikely. The New York Yankees have been linked to Reyes, but as NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty reported, general manager Brian Cashman said the Yanks aren’t likely to make any waiver trades.
As CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman noted, with Didi Gregorius making strides at shortstop and the Stephen Drew-Brendan Ryan duo holding on at second base, “it’s hard to see a real match with the Yankees right now.”
It’s possible the Rockies could get creative over the winter and find a suitor, especially if Reyes heats up down the stretch.
It’s worth wondering, though, if his days of providing a spark are over.
Reyes says he wants to go to a contender and still talks like a guy who can help push a club over the top. But the numbers, particularly on the defensive side, tell a different story. Reyes, once a game-changer, may no longer be anything more than a complementary piece.
And unless the Rockies are willing to eat a significant portion of his salary or accept a relatively modest return, he could be stuck in Colorado for longer than he likes.
All statistics current as of Aug. 24 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.
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