Colorado Rockies Rumors: Adam Ottavino is unlikely to return next season

The Colorado Rockies made a big splash in the relief market last offseason, but it could prevent the organization from retaining a valuable late inning option.

According to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, the Colorado Rockies are “not in the mix” to retain the services of Adam Ottavino ahead of next season.  Although the Rockies would be very interested in retaining the services of Ottavino, the organization already has a large portion of their $150.00 million projected payroll for next season committed to relief pitching.

For the upcoming regular season, Wade Davis is owed $18.00 million, Jake McGee is owed $8.50 million, Bryan Shaw is owed $8.50 million, and Mike Dunn is owed $7.00 million.  Fortunately for the Rockies, they have three other relievers at much lower salaries that were a large part of their bullpen last season.  Seunghwan Oh is owed $2.50 million, Chris Rusin is owed $1.69 million, and Scott Oberg is estimated by MLB Trade Rumors to receive $1.20 million in salary arbitration.

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

However, as McGee, Shaw, Dunn, and Rusin combined for a -0.8 WAR last season, the Rockies desperately need these four to turn things around next season as they do not have the financial flexibility to bring in other relief arms as replacements.  Even though the Rockies will miss the 2.0 WAR Ottavino put up on his own last season, retaining the combined 2.4 WAR put up by Oberg, Davis, and Oh will greatly help the team form a foundation for the late innings.

Nonetheless, as the Rockies held a 53-22 win-loss record following games in which Ottavino appeared last season, they will definitely miss his late-inning presence.  His ability to strike out 112 batters in only 77.2 innings of work greatly helped the Rockies escape many tough situations throughout last season.  Although it took much more than Ottavino alone to earn a second straight playoff berth, he was definitely a difference maker in Colorado.

Even though “cheaper” options such as Brad Brach and Cody Allen remain available in free agency, it would be surprising to see the Rockies go after any relievers that would require a multi-year contract commitment.  Unless the organization is able to unload an expensive reliever in a trade alongside a talented, young player such as Raimel Tapia, they will need to rely on their current group of relievers returning to form next season.