With the trade deadline just under two months away, it's officially time to start discussing which players the Colorado Rockies might be shipped out the door this summer. While it might be hard to say goodbye to fan favorites, the Rockies are in desperate need of hope for the future, and one of the most efficient ways to gain that is to send out the old and welcome in the new.
Right now, Rockies trade talks are in the early stages, according to the president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta. In an interview with Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post , DePodesta said that the Rockies "haven't canvassed the league or anything like that, but we are starting to have some conversations if there is a potential match."
What that means is that there isn't any concrete aim for the Rockies just yet, but there are some names that the team is willing to trade to accomplish its goals. Still, not everybody is on the chopping block, despite the team's miserable record.
"There would be certain guys that would be really, really hard for us to move," DePodesta said ( via The Denver Post ). "I think that's probably true of any team. There are guys that we feel are hopefully foundational players for us going forward."
So who is untouchable, and who is expendable? Who will the Rockies part ways with, and who will remain to lead this franchise to the promised land?
Colorado Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander (32) throws in the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Let's begin with the players that the Rockies would never consider moving, barring an unexplainable return package.
Right-handed hurler Chase Dollander is probably at the top of this list. Despite going down with an elbow injury last month, Dollander has emerged as one of the cornerstones of Colorado's operation moving forward. With him at the helm of the pitching staff, there really is no limit to what this team can accomplish on the mound.
Then there's Hunter Goodman , the ever-reliable backstop who's bashed the baseball like a madman over the last two seasons. He already has 17 home runs this season, more than halfway to his total of 31 in 2025. Yeah, he's going to be a Rockie for quite some time.
Other than that, there really isn't much else. Everybody else appears to be on the table, which in some ways is good and in other ways is indicative of just how badly the franchise has bungled the last decade.
Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy (31) celebrates with Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) after a win against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Rockies fans should cherish this last month of enjoying Antonio Senzatela . A transition to the bullpen has completely revitalized his career, making him the premier trade asset the Rockies currently possess.
With a 1.98 ERA, Senzatela is by far the best bullpen arm on Colorado's roster. With relievers always in high demand at the deadline, there's little doubt that a plethora of teams will be yearning for Senzatela's services.
There are plenty of folks out there who will say that Jose Quintana , Michael Lorenzen , and Tomoyuki Sugano - the three starting pitchers who were meant to headline the Rockies' new era - are worthy of being moved at the deadline. Some will even say that bullpen arms like Seth Halvorsen or Jimmy Herget fall into that category, too. There's also Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy , two standout pieces in the lineup who have been major contributors to Colorado's offense so far in 2026.
But everything must be viewed through the prism of the rest of the league, and those Rockies players just simply aren't good enough to cut it elsewhere. So, while those names might be traded on or before Aug. 3, don't expect some mind-boggling prospect to be in the return package. Because there just really isn't a lot to chew on other than Senzatela, which is a massive shame for not only the Rockies front office but the fan base as well.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rockies/onsi as Who Is Truly Untouchable on the Rockies Before the Trade Deadline? .
