The Colorado Rockies entered the 2026 Trade Deadline as clear sellers with plenty of ammunition to offload. Two likely veterans to be dealt were outfielders Jake McCarthy and Mickey Moniak , who had put together very solid seasons with Colorado up to that point. But Colorado elected to keep both players, citing that they did not receive the value they felt was worthy of Moniak or McCarthy. In Moniak's case, he was immediately extended to a two-year, $16.25 million contract extension. But an ice-cold last couple of months, combined with the Rockies' current pitching dilemma , puts that decision in doubt.
Entering August 4, Moniak was hitting a solid .277/.318/.565 with an excellent .883 OPS. By the end of the season, Moniak's OPS had dropped over 100 points to .758. He recorded just 27 hits in 156 at-bats over the final two months of the season. Finishing with just a 90 WRC+, down from 111 in 2025.
Moniak did improve defensively this season, from an awful -8 outs above average in 2025 to zero OAA this season. But that is still by no means a plus defensively, as Moniak is right around league average in arm value and in the 29th percentile league-wide with an arm strength of 81.6 mph, per Statcast . Colorado did mitigate this somewhat by playing Moniak at DH 41 times this season.
But regardless, Moniak needs to be hitting much better than below the Mendoza line. Colorado's offense was vastly improved from last season , but they still don't have the lineup strength to afford a no-show from Moniak. Even with his late-season slump, Moniak still finished second on the team with 23 home runs. However, just six of those 23 home runs came in the final two months, with just two in September.
Aug 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Mickey Moniak (22) celebrates his two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Without Moniak's power production, Hunter Goodman , who hit 41 home runs this season , shoulders even more of the load. From August 4 on, the Rockies finished the season 13-35. They had plenty of problems outside of Moniak, mainly their serious problems concerning the starting rotation. But Colorado no doubt sorely missed Moniak's impact over the final couple of months of the season. But was it enough to give Colorado's front office regrets about extending him?
It was a shrewd move by the Rockies to bring back Moniak for another season last offseason. He was the second-best player in the lineup behind Goodman last year, and the Rockies couldn't afford to lose that production in their lineup. Especially considering Moniak was just 27 and on a very team-friendly contract worth just $4 million. He continued to show the traits that made him an excellent fit in Colorado for much of this season.
He looked well on pace to set a career-high in single-season home runs for a second straight year, after hitting 24 in 2025. He had hit 17 through July this season, but as mentioned earlier, he managed just six home runs in August and September. Seeing major decreases in several important hitting categories this season.
2025
xSLG: .494
Barrel rate: 13.8%
LA Sweet-Spot: 37.6%
Chase rate: 38.0%
Whiff rate: 28.2%
K rate: 23.9%
2026
xSLG: .392
Barrel rate: 9.6%
LA Sweet-Spot: 32.0%
Chase rate: 44.0%
Whiff rate: 30.3%
K rate: 27.5%
Those are significant drop-offs in crucial categories offensively. Especially when looking at his plate discipline, as his chase and whiff rates went up six and two percent, respectively. Like many modern hitters in the "three true outcomes" era, the numbers can get ugly when the power goes away.
These stats are for a full season, not just August and September. So it's not as if Moniak was doing excellently in these areas before August came around. But the power masked the issues. When his power went away, they became glaring, and his batting average tanked. Ideally, an offseason of work will allow Moniak to work on his plate discipline, and he can find his power again in time for next season. Nevertheless, the extended slump to end the season raises questions.
The Rockies front office deserves some grace in that it was their first trade deadline with the club. They did have an excellent initial offseason and still made some solid deals at the deadline. But Moniak was one of their best trade chips, and they were clear sellers in desperate need of more pitching depth. If the Rockies didn't love the offers they were hearing for Moniak, maybe this is a moot point. But did the Rockies value the veteran outfielder too highly?
With the emergence of TJ Rumfield and Cole Carrigg , Goodman does have more support in the lineup now. It would have still hurt the Rockies' lineup, but they had more of a cushion if Moniak was traded. Now signed for the next two seasons, because of the current state of pitching on the club, the Rockies look a long way off from contention still. Making it a waste of Moniak's age 29-30 seasons.
Aug 15, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Colorado Rockies designated hitter Mickey Moniak (22) during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
It's not like trading Moniak would have put the Rockies in an infinitely better pitching situation currently. But the way Moniak ended the season does create doubt about whether the Rockies missed their chance to trade Moniak when his value was at its highest with Colorado. Echoing a common theme of the Rockies' miserable, extended rebuild. Maybe Colorado will get another chance at next year's deadline if they find themselves in the same position. But for now, the Moniak situation in Colorado is a very familiar, sinking feeling of DeJa-Vu.
Main Photo Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images
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