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After leaving Saturday’s game against the New York Mets early, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story is out of the lineup Sunday with a jammed left thumb.

Continue for updates.

X-Rays on Story’s Thumb Come Back Negative

Sunday, July 31

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post was the first to report Story’s absence, and he added that X-rays on the rookie’s thumb were negative.

The 23-year-old Texas native is enjoying a spectacular season, hitting .272 with a National League-leading 27 home runs and 72 RBI.

He is the clear front-runner for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, and along with Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez, Story gives Colorado one of the most potent and powerful lineups in Major League Baseball.

The Rockies are the hottest team in baseball with a record of 9-1 over their past 10 games, and they have gotten themselves within four games of the second and final wild-card spot in the NL.

They trail the San Francisco Giants by eight games for the NL West lead, so their only hope of sneaking into the playoffs requires them to chase down the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

Doing so without Story over the long haul seems unlikely, but the fact that X-rays on his thumb were negative suggests that a stint on the disabled list may not be necessary.

Colorado has some depth at shortstop in the form of veteran Daniel Descalso and Cristhian Adames, but Story’s absence takes a huge element of power away from the Rockies’ talented lineup.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Boone Logan is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, but he could be on his way out of town before Major League Baseball’s Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. 

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Rockies Shopping Logan

Thursday, July 28

On Thursday, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported the Toronto Blue Jays “have discussed” a possible deal with the Rockies for Logan.

Toronto’s bullpen is in desperate need of a serviceable left-handed arm as the team looks to stay in contention in the American League East. Entering Thursday, the Blue Jays were two games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles.

Brett Cecil, the only lefty Toronto has, is 0-6 with a 6.00 ERA in 27 appearances this season, and a lack of a lefty specialist could come back to haunt the Blue Jays as August approaches.

Logan could provide a huge boost, as the 31-year-old southpaw has been the best arm in Colorado’s bullpen this season.

He’s recorded a team-best 2.48 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts in 29 innings. He’s been especially stellar as of late, not allowing a run in his last 10 outings.

In contrast, no other Rockies reliever who has appeared in 35-plus games has an ERA lower than 3.86.

Because of that, Morosi forecast on July 19 that Logan would “be among the most talked about bullpen arms across the industry in the coming days.”

Logan’s three-year, $16.5 million deal will expire at the end of the season, per Spotrac, and due to such great interest, it might be best for the Rockies to deal him to get something in return instead of taking their chances in free agency.

That way, Colorado could acquire some pieces to help the team develop into a contender in the National League West, which has been dominated by the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Colorado Rockies don’t have to trade Carlos Gonzalez.

He’s under contract through 2017, and he’s having an All-Star season.

If Colorado is serious about a rebuild and wants to maximize CarGo’s value, however, the moment for a blockbuster deal could be now or never.

After playing just 180 games combined in 2013 and 2014 because of injuries, Gonzalez bounced back last season with 40 home runs and a .271/.325/.540 slash line in 153 contests.

This year, he’s shown that was no fluke, slashing .317/.370/.544 with 20 homers and 22 doubles entering play Thursday.

Even adjusting for the Coors Field effect—Gonzalez’s career slugging percentage is 176 points higher at home—those are numbers that would leave any offense-hungry contender salivating.

There are likely other power-hitting corner outfielders on the market as the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline approaches, including the Cincinnati Reds‘ Jay Bruce and, possibly, the New York Yankees‘ Carlos Beltran.

Gonzalez, though, would be the biggest prize if the Rockies were to dangle him, a middle-of-the-order bat capable of tipping a race anywhere he goes.

In June, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post laid out the case for moving Gonzalez:

CarGo is making $17 million this season and $20 million in 2017, the final year of his contract, so the Rockies would like to get something for him before he leaves. He’s not the complete, five-tool player he used to be, but he’s still a legitimate slugger.

If general manager Jeff Bridich doesn’t believe the Rockies can make the playoffs this season—and I think in his heart of hearts he knows this team is at least a year away—then moving CarGo makes sense. The fact that outfield prospects David Dahl and Raimel Tapia look like potential stars makes a CarGo trade even more likely.

Saunders concluded that Colorado is more likely to trade Gonzalez in the offseason. It’s a salient argument. Next winter’s free-agent cupboard is notably bare, so CarGo ought to draw ample interest, assuming he stays healthy and productive for the remainder of 2016.

Then again, there’s no guarantee that’ll happen. Gonzalez turns 31 in October. He’s always been a streaky hitter. And to repeat, he wore the label “injury-prone” until recently, missing time with various maladies and undergoing knee surgery in 2014.

Surely some clubs that would surrender a shiny package for a healthy CarGo in the offseason would cough up more to get him in the heat of the playoff push.

Mix in the risk of a disabled-list stint or a cold couple of months, and the Rockies might never be able to sell higher than they could right now.

Colorado has done an admirable job bolstering its farm system, which Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter ranked No. 6 in the game after the 2016 amateur draft.

A few more quality pieces—particularly on the pitching side—could solidify the future. Plus, there are already club-controlled stars on the big league roster, including 25-year-old third baseman Nolan Arenado and 23-year-old shortstop Trevor Story.

At 49-52, the Rockies are six games off the wild-card pace and a long shot at best to sniff the playoffs. Their eyes should be trained on the horizon.

So which teams might be willing to part with meaningful chips to land Gonzalez? Potentially a lot.

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball linked him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sporting News’ Ryan Fagan noted CarGo “makes sense” for the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox.

That’s not to say all those squads would have the assets or motivation to make it happen, but it gives a sense of the wide net Colorado could cast.

On July 7, Gonzalez indicated he’d like to remain in the Mile High City as the Rockies’ young players develop. He’s played in only one postseason, in 2009, when the Philadelphia Phillies eliminated Colorado in the division series.

“I have been here for a lot of bad moments and tough situations, so I want to see the bright [side],” he said, per Saunders. “I want to be here when that happens.”

Maybe he will be. The Rockies don’t have to trade him.

But if they’re planning on doing it and maximizing the return, now seems like the time.

All statistics courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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With the Colorado Rockies falling out of the postseason race, they’re likely to become sellers before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, with Charlie Blackmon a prime candidate to be moved.

Continue for updates.

Nationals GM Denies Blackmon Rumor 

Wednesday, July 20

During an appearance on 106.7 The Fan (h/t Pete Medhurst), Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that a rumor from Jon Morosi of MLB Network stating the club is reportedly “showing interest” in Blackmon is “not accurate.”

Rockies Could Cash In on Blackmon to Fuel Rebuild

Blackmon, 30, is having another excellent season, hitting .307 with 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported earlier in July that the Rockies were shopping both Blackmon and star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. 

Dealing either (or both) would make sense for the Rockies. As of July 20, the team is six games under .500 (43-50), 13.5 games out of first place in the NL West and eight games back in the NL wild-card hunt. Both players are 30, and while Blackmon is up for arbitration after this year, per Spotrac.com, Gonzalez is under contract through 2017.

Plus, the Rockies would be dealing each (or both) in their primes and amid excellent seasons, likely ensuring a lucrative return. 

Blackmon, meanwhile, would certainly improve Washington’s lineup at the top of the order. As Morosi noted, the team is 30th in leadoff OPS and 28th in center field OPS, so Blackmon would be a huge upgrade. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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With the Colorado Rockies struggling this season, the team could find itself as a seller before the trade deadline. One player contending teams will be interested in potentially acquiring is star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. 

Continue for updates.

Gonzalez Comments on Trade Rumors

Thursday, July 7

“I got a call this morning from Scott Boras, my agent, asking me what happened,”Gonzalez said, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. “I was surprised because I didn’t know what was up. I guess there was a story in a newspaper saying that I’d ask the front office, saying I want out. I don’t know when that happened. Maybe I was asleep. Obviously, it didn’t happen.”

Gonzalez Reportedly Open to Being Traded

Thursday, July 7

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported:

Word is that in a recent meeting with team higher-ups, Gonzalez expressed an interest in going elsewhere (Rockies GM Jeff Bridich said he would keep all those conversations “private”), and the Rockies will likely float not one but two outfield stars, Gonzalez and also Charlie Blackmon (Carlos and Charlie seem to go together), just as they did this winter.

Gonzalez, it’s said, badly wants to win, and has become frustrated by the difficulties of doing that in Colorado. It won’t necessarily be easy for the Rockies to deal him, however, as they consider him a plus in the clubhouse as well as the field. Plus, they are showing signs of real improvement (the last week or so notwithstanding).

Gonzalez Putting Up Big Numbers for Rockies Once Again

Gonzalez, 30, is having another excellent season for the Rockies, hitting .319 with 18 home runs, 51 RBI and 54 runs scored. He’s coming off a career year in 2015—his 40 home runs were a career high—and has totaled at least 20 home runs and 70 RBI five times in his career.

He was chosen as an NL All-Star reserve Tuesday.

“You have to prove to yourself sometimes, remind yourself that you’re a great player,” Gonzalez told Nick Groke of the Denver Post after learning he was chosen for the Midsummer Classic. “That was big for me last year, knowing that my abilities were still intact. Right now, I feel healthy, and I feel strong. That’s all I can ask for.”

Prospective buyers will be happy to hear that, though Gonzalez won’t come cheap. The Rockies will likely demand a pricey package of prospects in any trade for the star outfielder, and he’ll be due $20 million next season, per Spotrac. He also has a history of injuries, though he’s been largely healthy over the last two seasons.

Because he’ll be a free agent after the 2017 season, Gonzalez will be more than simply a 2016 rental—a benefit for any buyers. So it isn’t hard to envision a scenario in which the longtime Rockies star is finally dealt.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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The Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins played an interesting contest Monday night, setting an MLB record for most home runs (eight) in a game in which all the runs were scored on solo homers, per MLB.com.

The Rockies—led by a pair of blasts from first baseman Mark Reynolds and one apiece from outfielder Charlie Blackmon, shortstop Trevor Story and catcher Nick Hundley—pulled out a 5-3 victory.

Story, Reynolds and Hundley all went deep off of Marlins starter Paul Clemens in the second inning, with the latter two going back-to-back.

This was after the Marlins hit a pair of homers in the bottom of the first, meaning there were five solo home runs within the first inning-and-a-half.

Although the pace slowed down from there, neither team managed a run that didn’t come from a solo homer.

For Miami, it was the heart of its order doing the damage, with outfielder Marcell Ozuna hitting a pair of homers and outfielder Giancarlo Stanton adding another.

Stanton’s long ball in the first inning brought an end to his 15-game streak without any homers, which represented his longest such streak since June-July 2014, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Meanwhile, Story’s homer was his 18th of the season, making him just the sixth rookie in the last 25 years to record 18 or more prior to the All-Star break, per ESPN Stats & Info.

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Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Chatwood has landed on the disabled list with a back injury, Nick Groke of the Denver Post reported Sunday. Colorado has recalled Scott Oberg from the minor leagues to take his spot on the roster. It is uncertain when Chatwood will return to action.

Continue for updates.

Weiss Comments on Chatwood’s Timeline for Return

Sunday, June 19

Back Strain Delays Chatwood’s Solid Season

Chatwood suffered the injury during Saturday’s matchup against the Miami Marlins. After an erratic start that saw him throw 20 of 48 pitches out of the strike zone, he was removed from the game in the second inning. 

Chatwood has been Colorado’s ace this season with an 8-4 record and 3.15 ERA. He’s normally been solid for the Rockies, a team that hasn’t received much from its starting pitching, going six or more innings in 12 of his first 13 starts this season.

Chatwood is the only starting arm in Colorado’s staff who’s gone over 80 innings in 2016 and has an ERA under 4.12.

On four different occasions this season, he hasn’t allowed an earned run. On June 6, he yielded only one hit to the Los Angeles Dodgers over eight innings.

But the injury bug has bitten him again, though a mid-back strain isn’t nearly as serious as the Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2015 season. Still, this has to be a frustrating delay in the 26-year-old’s development toward becoming a legitimate ace in Colorado. 

This Rockies pitching staff is already without Chris Rusin, who is second on the team with a 4.12 ERA, as he is dealing with a strained shoulder. 

Now, the Rockies will have to rely on the likes of Chad Bettis and Jon Gray to assume No. 1 responsibilities. But they haven’t helped Colorado keep its opponents off the scoreboard. Rockies starters have allowed 5.21 runs per game this season, which is the third-worst average in the entire league. 

For a team that’s already 10 games behind the division-leading San Francisco Giants, the Rockies can’t afford to lose opportunities to get Chatwood on the mound, as he’s been their best chance at winning this season. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Colorado Rockies announced Wednesday they have designated shortstop Jose Reyes for assignment.

Reyes has yet to play a game in 2016. Major League Baseball suspended the 33-year-old through the end of May for a violation of the league’s domestic violence policy. Before Wednesday’s move, Reyes had been on a minor league rehab assignment with Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes. 

According to Spotrac, Reyes is signed through 2018 and is due $22 million in each season. He has a club option for 2018 that includes a $4 million buyout.

The Rockies now have 10 days to decide Reyes’ future. They can trade him to another team—albeit while likely paying a large chunk of his deal. Colorado can also release him outright or place him on waivers. Should nobody pick take him off waivers, the Rockies could reinstate him to the 40-man roster.

In all likelihood, though, this represents the end of Reyes’ brief time in the Mile High City. He is declining on the field, as he had a .274/.310/.378 slash line last year between his time with the Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays. According to FanGraphs, Reyes was also one of the worst defensive shortstops in MLB. He tied for the least defensive runs saved with minus-eight and was fourth-worst in ultimate zone rating per 150 games (-7.5).

Adding Reyes to Colorado’s starting lineup would mean displacing Trevor Story, who has been one of the bigger surprises in baseball. The rookie shortstop is batting .265 with 17 home runs and 45 runs batted in. His 1.5 WAR is third among qualified Rockies position players, per FanGraphs.

Another team could give Reyes a shot once he clears waivers. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen offered a lukewarm endorsement of the four-time All-Star:

MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported the New York Yankees won’t be among those interested. Heyman, writing for Today’s Knuckleball, reported on June 2 the Yankees showed interest in Reyes last year after his trade to the Rockies.

If he becomes a free agent, Reyes could be a good low-cost signing for a playoff contender during the back half of the regular season.

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The Colorado Rockies placed closer Jake McGee on the disabled list Saturday with left knee inflammation, according to Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com. It is uncertain when he’ll return to the mound. 

Continue for updates.

McGee MRI Results Revealed 

Saturday, June 11

McGee was “diagnosed with a sprained MCL” after undergoing an MRI, according to Ben Weinrib of MLB.com.

McGee Has Been Steady Anchor to Rockies Bullpen 

According to Nick Groke of the Denver Post, McGee underwent an MRI after tweaking his knee on the final pitch of his outing Friday night.

The team called up pitcher Tyler Anderson to take his roster spot, per Ringolsby. 

McGee, 29, has gone 0-2 in 24 appearances with a 4.98 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 15 saves and 15 strikeouts in 21.2 innings pitched. He has also blown three save opportunities, including Friday night’s outing, when he gave up a three-run homer to Wil Myers in the team’s 7-5 loss to the San Diego Padres.

While McGee hasn’t been elite as the team’s closer, he’s been a fairly steady option, and his injury will shake up the bullpen. The top two candidates to replace him in the role are Jason Motte and Carlos Estevez.

Motte has compiled a 3.00 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in six appearances, striking out five batters. He has experience as a closer, albeit limited, as he registered 42 saves for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012.

Estevez has settled into the eighth-inning role nicely, meanwhile, with a 1-3 record, 4.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 22 strikeouts and nine holds in 21 appearances. 

He has blown two save opportunities, however, and the Rockies may utilize both Motte and Estevez in the closing role unless one establishes himself as a consistent option while McGee remains unavailable. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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Player: Riley Pint

Position: RHP

DOB: Nov. 6, 1997 (18 years old)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 210 lbs

Bats/Throws: R/R

School: St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Kan.)

College Commitment: LSU

Background

High school pitchers always come with a certain level of risk, and no high school right-hander has ever gone No. 1 overall.

That being said, it’s not everyday an 18-year-old is clocked at 102 miles per hour.

No one among this year’s crop of high school arms, and perhaps no one in general in the 2016 class—save for Louisville right-hander Zack Burdi—throws harder than Riley Pint.

The fact that he comes from a Kansas high school only makes him that much more rare, as there has not been a Kansas high school player selected in the first round since Brian Holman was taken No. 16 overall by the Montreal Expos in 1983.

It’s not just velocity with Pint, though.

He also possesses one of the best changeups in the draft among a four-pitch repertoire that also includes a potentially plus curveball and a slider.

Pint led St. Thomas Aquinas High School to a Kansas Class 5A state title this year. He didn’t pitch in the championship game but delivered the go-ahead, two-run double in the fifth inning for a 10-9 lead that would hold up as the final.

“I’m ready to go now,” Pint told Ashley Scoby of the Kansas City Star. “One chapter ends, another one begins. And I’m really, really happy about this one.”

Pint is committed to LSU, but it’s hard to see him passing on the paycheck that comes with being taken so high in the draft.

Pick Analysis

Velocity is what has put Pint on the national map, but it’s his impressive overall repertoire and projectable frame that should immediately make him one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.

Here’s the scouting report that Baseball America provided while ranking him as the No. 2 prospect in this year’s class:

Pint sits at 97-98 mph, regularly bumps 100 and has touched 102 with a fastball that has sink and tailing action. He also throws an 89-91 mph potentially plus changeup with deception and fade. He even has two separate breaking balls—a curve and a slider that both flash above average.

Pint is athletic—he was an excellent basketball player before focusing on baseball and he’s thrown less than many top high school arms. His delivery causes some concerns as he lands into a stiff front side, has a head whack at release and has some recoil which has at times caused his control to waver.

There may be issues to iron out, but you can’t teach velocity, and the fact that he backs his fastball with three potentially plus off-speed pitches makes Pint one of the highest-ceiling prep pitchers to come along in years.

Pro Comparison: Justin Verlander

Reading further on in the scouting report referenced above, a comparison is drawn to Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander.

“In a best-case scenario, he becomes a Justin Verlander-esque front-line ace,” Baseball America wrote. “Like Pint, Verlander had problems with a stiff front side and control issues as an amateur, but the Tigers were able to clean it up.”

Verlander also has a similar build at 6’5″ and 225 pounds, and in his prime, he could routinely dial it up into the high 90s and even touch triple digits late into games.

The 2011 AL Cy Young and MVP winner utilizes the same four-pitch repertoire, and while velocity has always been his calling card, there was a time when his changeup was among the best in baseball.

Verlander came to the Tigers as the No. 2 pick in the 2004 draft after a standout career at Old Dominion, and his ascent to the majors was a rapid one, as he was a full-time member of the Detroit rotation by 2006.

Pint will no doubt take a bit longer to arrive on the scene given his age and need for further polish, but the upside is there for him to be every bit as good as Verlander was in his prime.

Projection: No. 1 starter, perennial All-Star

Major League ETA: 2021

Chances of Signing: 95 percent

Pint has a strong commitment to LSU, but his stock will never be higher, and it’s hard to pass on the bonus money at his draft slot.

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