While 2025 has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult years in Colorado Rockies history, there have been bright spots. Most notably, the progress of young players such as catcher Hunter Goodman, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and outfielder Jordan Beck. Center fielder Brenton Doyle might not have played up to the level he has in the recent past, but he's still young enough at 27 to turn it around. As for the pitching staff, the hope is that former first rounder Chase Dollander will use the offseason to learn from an uneven first season at Coors Field.
The good news is that these young contributors are all cheap deals on the payroll. With Major League Baseball's salary cap likely to go up with the next set of CBA negotiations, having players like Goodman, Tovar, Beck and Dollander contribute as they continue to progress at the major league level should only help in the long run.
However, GM Bill Schmidt and Colorado's front office need to figure out the direction of the roster. One of the first decisions to be made will have to be the fate of interim manager Warren Schaeffer. Once that's done, the next step needs to be to lean fully into a rebuild of the roster. Bring in more young players to contribute and grow with the current potential core. Step three? Trade veteran outfielder Kris Bryant at all costs. Here's why.
Rockies need to do whatever it takes to get rid of Kris Bryant contract
At 33 years old, Bryant would already be a depreciating asset if he was at full health and in the lineup. The former NL MVP signed a seven-year, $182 million contract ahead of the 2022 season. 2025 is his fourth season with the Rockies, with an annual average value of $27 million on his current deal. When Schmidt and the front office brought Bryant aboard, the thought was that he could team up with other contributors like long-time outfielder Charlie Blackmon to help the Rockies get back to the playoffs. Unfortunately, Bryant's deal has since been considered to be one of the worst in MLB history.
The veteran outfielder has turned into a designated hitter for the most part, with a physical decline that is considered to be surprising to say the least. The longtime Chicago Cub has yet to play even 100 games in a season for Colorado, as the highest total he's hit was 80 games in 2023. This comes off a tenure of mostly good health with both the Cubs and San Francisco Giants, where he spent the second half of the 2021 season. So, why has Bryant's health declined so much while he's called Coors Field home?
Can Rockies even trade Kris Bryant right now?
If the Rockies ever hope to get back to contention, trading Bryant needs to happen. Is it likely to happen? Probably not this offseason. There almost certainly isn't another front office that would want to pay the ex-MVP $27 million for three more years after he's missed basically this entire season. However, that doesn't mean that Schmidt and his team don't need to try every avenue. All it takes is one team to get a deal done. If Colorado has to give up additional assets in order to trade Bryant, they should. Most of their young players have shown flashes of talent but haven't been consistent, so trading one of them wouldn't be a bad idea.
If it meant having to deal a player like Tovar or Beck along with a couple other young players to get rid of Bryant, it would be worth it. Schmidt and the front office added to the team's prospect depth with number four overall pick Ethan Holliday in June's MLB Draft. Corner infielder Kyle Karros could be another intriguing name in Colorado, along with first baseman Warming Bernabel. While trading away future contributors might hurt now, moving Bryant is the best way for the Rockies to have a brighter future.
