Carlos Gonzalez could be next out Rockies’ door
By Tim Haberin
In a stunning move, the Colorado Rockies dealt shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays last night, ending months of back-and-forth trade speculation surrounding the five-time All-Star. Despite the departure of the longtime face of their franchise, the Rockies might not be done moving their top talent. The blockbuster deal could be the first domino in a further exodus out of Colorado.
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Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has been mentioned as a possible trade chip in the past, but it was unclear whether the Rockies would commit to a full-scale rebuild. After the Tulowitzki deal, it appears we have our answer.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports has reported that Colorado plans to flip Gonzalez as well before the deadline. As one GM with another club told him, “They expect to move him.”
Fortunately for the Rockies, CarGo is heating up at precisely the right time for them to shop his services. The 29-year-old got off to a rough start in his eighth MLB season, hitting a meager .219 at the start of June. Gonzalez came roaring back, however, and is giving his stock a massive boost by having a July to remember. This month he is slashing .405/.436/.892 with 10 home runs and 23 RBI.
The numbers are even more impressive in the last week. Since July 20, he boasts a .538/.571/1.346 line with seven homers and 15 RBI. Three of his last four games have seen Gonzalez go deep twice. No hitter in the league looks more locked-in than he does right now, and contending teams searching for a big bat are likely salivating at the prospect of adding him.
Gonzalez does have his points of concern, though. Injuries have been a frequent problem. He missed 92 games last year, and over the past five seasons he has played in a less-than-ideal average of 117 per campaign. As with most sluggers who make their homes in Colorado, teams also might worry about his performance outside of Coors Field. Gonzalez owns a .936 OPS at home this season, and a .768 mark on the road, continuing a trend that has been present throughout his time with the Rockies.
The end of Tulo’s tenure in Colorado came unexpectedly, and his former teammate could also be packing his bags before long. Gonzalez is under contract through 2017, so he would not be a rental for anyone acquiring him. Heyman identifies the Mets, Angels and Orioles as teams with a need that could get in on CarGo’s availability.