MLB Rumors: Surprising Trade Candidate From Rockies

Will the Colorado Rockies be sellers at the trade deadline? They have a number of peripheral pieces that could be of value to some teams. But a surprising name has surfaced as per MLB Insider Jon Heyman. 

Heyman writes that Rockies All-Star first baseman/DH C.J. Cron is a candidate to be dealt. Cron has done nothing but mash since his arrival in the thin air of Denver, with an OPS over .900 both this season and last. Not surprisingly, Cron doesn't want to go anywhere. 

“I love playing in Colorado," Heyman quotes him as saying. No question about that. 

In his previous seven seasons in the big leagues before 2021, Cron had accumulated an OPS in the .700s, and a batting average in the low .250s. In Colorado, he's hit a combined .288 (.298 this season), with an OPS of .904. He has 49 home runs in his year-and-a-half there, compared to 59 home runs in his seven previous seasons. 

His home/road splits in 2022 tell the story as well:            

Home:  .352 avg, 16 HR, 53 RBIs, 1.067 OPS

Road:   .229 avg,   5 HR, 16 RBIs,   .695 OPS

Cron is signed for next season, at $7.3M. Heyman mentions the New York Mets as a team that could be in the mix. Citi Field is certainly a different hitting environment than Coors Field. 

If he is dealt, it'll be interesting to see what kind of production he delivers. 

Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports