Colorado Rockies: Could Justin Smoak be an impact addition at first base?
Even though the Colorado Rockies have a very impressive core group of players already under contract for next season, there is still room for improvement.
According to Fan Graphs, the Colorado Rockies ranked 29th in the MLB last season with a -1.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) from players who occupied first base. Although there is more to ranking the combined output of a position than simply looking at the WAR stat, it does help show the small amount of production the team received at first base.
In 2018, the Rockies first basemen compiled 30 home runs (HR), 115 runs batted in (RBI), and 109 runs scored (R) alongside a slash-line of .224/.295/.388. Comparatively, the top-ranked team in WAR at first base compiled 62 HR, 164 RBI, and 168 R alongside a slash-line of .266/.389/.522.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
As the top-ranked team was the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 9.6 WAR at first base, the Rockies need to improve at first base ahead of next season. Despite missing out on an opportunity to acquire Carlos Santana from the Philadelphia Phillies or Edwin Encarnacion from the Seattle Mariners, the Rockies are still searching for an answer at first base.
According to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post on Twitter, the Colorado Rockies have discussed the possibility of putting together a trade for Justin Smoak of the Toronto Blue Jays. Following his first career All-Star appearance in 2017, Smoak put together 25 HR, 77 RBI, and 67 R alongside a slash-line of .242/.350/.457 through 147 games in 2018.
Although these numbers are a step back from the 38 HR, 90 RBI, and 85 R he compiled in 2017, Smoak was still able to put together a 2.3 WAR on his own last season. As his slash-line in 2018 was superior in every category over the contingent of players the Rockies deployed at first base last season, Smoak would be a much-needed upgrade in Colorado.
Next. Jon Gray has high hopes for next season. dark
Due to the amount of money spent on the relief trio of Wade Davis, Jake McGee, and Bryan Shaw last offseason and the impending free agency of Nolan Arenado, the Rockies will likely be on the look for a short-term option at first base. As Smoak is currently under contract for only one more season at a reasonable $8.0 million, he could be a perfect switch-hitting power option in the middle of the Colorado Rockies lineup.