Colorado Rockies Trade Dickerson to Rays for Pitchers

The Colorado Rockies traded away Corey Dickerson and a minor-league pitcher for Jake McGee and a minor-league pitcher.

The Colorado Rockies addressed their outfield logjam and their pitching problems in one foul swoop, send Corey Dickerson to the Rays for Jake McGee. While Dickerson and McGee headline the trade between the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays, there are unnamed prospects included in the deal, with Ken Rosenthal expecting each team to send a minor-league pitcher to the other in the process.

Next: Colorado Rockies: 5 Prospects to Debut in 2016

When the Colorado Rockies signed Gerardo Parra a couple weeks ago, the acquisition stirred rumors that the team would be shopping one of their outfields on the trade market in the upcoming weeks. Thus, that assumptions looks to have come into fruition, with Corey Dickerson seen as the odd-man out in the Colorado Rockies’ outfield. Moreover, Colorado Rockies GM Jeff Bridich addressed the rumors surrounding Carlos Gonzalez, putting to bed any speculation that he was on the block.

The Colorado Rockies possessed one of the worst bullpens in the MLB in 2015, so by acquiring hard-throwing lefty Jake McGee, they seemed to have addressed their glaring hole in the back-end of the bullpen. Jake McGee regularly throws in the middle-to-upper 90s, and he was one of the most lethal left-handed relief pitchers in years prior to the trade. However, last season, Jake McGee found himself injured for a good majority of the season, raising eyebrows on his health moving forward.

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With the Colorado Rockies adding Jake McGee to their bullpen, they have a chance to put together a strong pen in 2016 and beyond. In 2016, the Colorado Rockies have three young, hard-throwing relief pitchers that figure to see regular appearances. Jake McGee joins Miguel Castro and Jairo Diaz in what looks to be a revamped bullpen, transitioning from one of the worst bullpens in 2015 to a respectable bullpen in 2016.

Across six MLB seasons, Jake McGee owned an outstanding 2.77 ERA with an even-better 2.58 FIP. McGee relies heavily on his fastball, and he regularly strikes out batters at a high rate, posting a career 11.1 K/9. Throwing an abundance of fastballs, mixed with a great strikeout rate, Jake McGee’s tools bode well for continued success while a member of the Colorado Rockies. There is a stigma surrounding Coors Field that the stadium affects breaking pitches, but McGee throws about 90 percent fastballs.

Jake McGee is set to make $4.8M in 2016, with one year of arbitration after next season. After 2017, Jake McGee is set to become a free agent; however, if he performs well with the Colorado Rockies, the team may look to offer him an extension before he hits free agency. With the Colorado Rockies acquiring McGee, he figures to be inserted into the closing role immediately, and it is his job to lose in 2016 and beyond.

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On the other hand, the Rays acquired Corey Dickerson from the Colorado Rockies; however, Dickerson possesses some unsightly home/road splits in his career. While at Coors Field, Corey Dickerson boasts a .355/.410/.675 slash line; however, he owns a .249/.286/.410 slash line on the road. Corey Dickerson’s home/road splits create a murky situation on what type of player the Rays actually got from the Colorado Rockies.

As of now, Colorado Rockies’ fans are scratching their heads at the deal, because many assumed that Dickerson carried more value than what the Colorado Rockies received, albeit that the minor-league players in the deal remain unnamed. If the Colorado Rockies manage to pry away Blake Snell from the Rays, the deal swings in the favor of the Colorado Rockies; however, at the current time, the trade looks like a clear-cut win for the Rays.

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The Colorado Rockies desperately needed pitching, but you would expect for the team to go after starting pitching prospects, not tenured relievers. While McGee will certainly help the Colorado Rockies in the short-term, there is a possibility that he leaves the team before they have another winning season under their belt. Since the Colorado Rockies acquired McGee, they must have acquired a minor-league starting pitching prospect in the process.

Blake Snell is the clear-cut favorite for the Colorado Rockies to go after; however, does Corey Dickerson warrant a return of Jake McGee and Blake Snell? Many would argue that it does not. However, if the Colorado Rockies add in a touted position prospect, perhaps the Rays might have pulled the trigger. While it is safe to assume the Colorado Rockies added a starting pitching prospect in this deal, the player they departed with remains a mystery.

Next: Colorado Rockies: 5 Prospects to Debut in 2016

In the upcoming minutes/hours, we should have a clearer picture on whom the minor-league prospects in the deal are. As of now, chalk the trade up as a wash, with, perhaps, the Rays getting the better bargain. Stay tuned for updates regarding the trade between the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays, and keep your fingers crossed Blake Snell is included.

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