Going into the offseason, all options should be on the table for Colorado Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta when it comes to improving his team for the 2027 season. That is the case when it comes to free agency and trades.
Now, we all know that Colorado isn't going to break the bank on free agency or bringing on high contracts in trades. At least not right now. The Rockies are still in the process of rebuilding and looking to take another step forward next season after a fourth straight 100-loss season. However, there is one player, catcher Hunter Goodman , that several teams would love to acquire this offseason.
If DePodesta does, in fact, trade his power-hitting catcher, which might be a mistake, then he needs to nail the return. Colorado and DePodesta don't need to look any further than what the Baltimore Orioles were able to get back from the Boston Red Sox in return for catcher Adley Rutschman back in August at the deadline.
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There have been rumors surrounding Goodman for some time. If DePodesta decides to trade his backstop, he must receive a return close to or better than what Baltimore received for Rutschman over the summer. It is essential.
Baltimore received catcher Carlos Narvez , right-hander Kyson Witherspoon (BOS No. 4 prospect), outfielder Enddy Azocar (BOS No. 5), and outfielder Harold Rivas . That is quite the haul, and DePodesta must get a similar return if he does indeed trade his catcher.
Rutschman is a former No. 1 overall pick, but he isn't the same player he once was when he came up, and his numbers are not quite near what Goodman has produced the last couple of seasons in Denver. Rutschman is a good addition for Boston, but Goodman could arguably get just as good , or a slightly better return if DePodesta does agree to make him available.
On the flip side, power-hitting catchers like Goodman are tough to find, and the Rockies have one of the better ones in MLB. It's a position that DePodesta has a long-term answer for, but who knows; maybe he could get a catcher as part of a return, say Austin Wells from the New York Yankees, who have been linked to Goodman. If DePodesta does look to improve the roster for 2027 and beyond with a Goodman trade, he needs to nail the return in what could be a game-changer.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rockies/onsi as One Realistic Offseason Decision the Rockies Can't Afford To Swing and Miss On .
