Colorado Rockies make minor trade, but lose out on target Cody Bellinger
Dec. 6—SAN DIEGO — As the market slowly started to heat up on the second day of the MLB winter meetings, the Rockies made their first minor move but lost out on a top target.
Colorado traded RHP Chad Smith to Oakland for RHP prospect Jeff Criswell on Tuesday. A few minutes later, though, their hopes of signing former National League MVP Cody Bellinger were crushed, as the centerfielder reportedly signed with the Cubs on a one-year deal.
"He made the decision that he thought was good for him," general manager Bill Schmidt said from his suite at the Winter Meetings.
Bellinger would have checked off multiple boxes for them — a centerfielder with a left-handed bat and power potential. Plus, he was seeking only a one-year deal, which was exactly what the Rockies are looking for. Colorado believes that Zac Veen, Brenton Doyle and Benny Montgomery are their future and they don't need anyone else long-term.
The Rockies will now trek through the already thin outfield market to search for another fit. Yankees star Aaron Judge, for many reasons, including the fact that he's not a left-handed centerfielder, is not an option. Neither is Mets star Brandon Nimmo, who is searching for a long-term deal — something the Rockies are not looking to provide.
At this point, the Rockies' goal is still to find that perfect match, but that will likely have to come at this point via a trade. Bryan Reynolds, the switch-hitting Pirate, has reportedly requested to be moved, but the Rockies have not engaged in any talks with Pittsburgh yet and believe the asking price may be too high.
Balancing out their lineup is a must, though, and finding a bat who plays elsewhere might have to be the fallback.
"We're trying to find a left-handed bat," Schmidt said. "If they can play centerfield, great. We'll continue to look in both avenues."
As for the Criswell trade, the move clears up a spot on the Rockies' 40-man roster, giving them some flexibility moving forward. Criswell, 23, played at the University of Michigan alongside Schmidt's son. "I had a pretty good idea what he's about," Schmidt said.
