Could the Colorado Rockies Deal Carlos Gonzalez?

It’s been a rough year for the Colorado Rockies. They got out to a nice start, but things have been downhill from there. As of now they own a 43-62 record, which puts them in last place in the NL West. While they have several attractive trade chips, the front office and ownership are seemingly at odds with regards to whether or not they should be traded.

Carlos Gonzalez has been mentioned in trade rumors. The 28 year-old outfielder has been affected by injuries this season and is hitting only .244/.293/.437 for an 86 wRC+, far below his career norms of .295/.352/.522 and a 121 wRC+. He’s under contract through the 2017 season and will be owed a total of $53 million from 2015-17.

While this has been a disappointing year, Gonzalez is still an attractive player. ZiPS forecasts a .275/.338/.506 line with a 118 wRC+ for the rest of the season, and Steamer is slightly more optimistic, giving him a ten point boost in each of the triple-slash categories. Despite dealing with injuries and averaging only 129 games per season from 2010-13, Gonzalez totaled 16.5 fWAR and a gaudy slash line of .311/.370/.556. Even after adjusting for hitter-friendly Coors Field that comes out to a 134 wRC+.

Poor season aside, Gonzalez would be an interesting option both as an upgrade for the stretch run and as a long-term asset. Of course he doesn’t provide much on the defensive side, and there’s concerns about how he would hit after moving away from Coors. He does have a solid track record on the road. From 2010-13, he produced a 114 wRC+ on the road.

Since he’s more than a short-term rental, the Rockies would ask for a solid return in exchange for Gonzalez. The New York Mets might be interested in Gonzalez. Short of a near-miraculous stretch run, they aren’t in contention this year. But, with the possible return of Matt Harvey and an impressive array of young pitchers, the Mets could be a team to watch out for in 2015.

The Rockies could use some pitching help. Even after adjusting for Coors Field, they have the lowest fWAR of any starting rotation in the major leagues. Meanwhile, the Mets have a bevy of intriguing young arms.

Understandably, they are loath to deal Noah Syndegaard, unless the Rockies were willing to talk a Troy Tulowitzki trade. Still, there’s Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom, who are both having success at the big league level, and Rafael Montero has had a cup of coffee as well. In addition, young catcher Travis d’Arnaud is coming around at the plate, and Kevin Plawecki could be major league ready by next year.

Young starting pitching is always in demand, and the Mets have plenty of prospects that fit in that category. If they have the desire to swing a trade with the Rockies, a deal could be in the works. Perhaps the Rockies don’t want to deal Tulo or Cargo during the season, but if they stick around, talks could heat up in the offseason. The Rockies could use a rebuild of sorts, and the Mets could be shaping up for playoff contention next season.