The Colorado Rockies Are Lowering Payroll - Is Third Baseman Ryan McMahon Available?

[Brock Beauchamp]

The Colorado Rockies were one of the first teams to fall victim to the Diamond Sports (Bally Sports) disintegration. Like the situation the Brewers are now facing, the Rockies had to trim down their payroll last season and according to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, they're going to cut payroll again this offseason.

The Rockies franchise is in a bad state. They've lost over 100 games for two consecutive seasons and haven't have a winning season since 2018. The Rockies don't have many easily-moved large contracts but the front office will likely to try to move at least one of Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill, and Austin Gomber.

Their most valuable asset is third baseman Ryan McMahon, who will turn 30 in two months. McMahon perfectly fits the Brewers' needs and team construction: while he's not a phenom with the bat (career 89 wRC+), he is phenomenal with the glove at third base, posting a +60 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) and a +40 OAA (Outs Above Average) in his career.

Given that we're speaking about the Rockies, it's impossible to predict what they plan to do. McMahon is under contract for three more seasons: $12 million in 2025 and $16 million in both 2026 and 2027. 

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[wiguy94]

Yes please. Black + 2 secondary pieces for McMahon with the Rockies eating $15M of the $44M guaranteed to McMahon over the next 3 seasons.

[jay87shot]

If he was cheap but I doubt the Rockies eat any salary. He strikes out a ton and hitting only .240 at Coors means like .220 elsewhere. I am not against it but I would part with anything major. 

[TURBO]

He's just not a bat I'd want anchoring 3B for the next three years.  Very "unspecial" and if he hits so poorly playing half his games at Coors Field, why would we want him here?

I expect better, Brewers fans should expect better, the Brewers organization should expect better.

[nate82]

No thanks.  If it only costs Monasterio or someone similar sure otherwise no.

[wallus]

The Rockies aren't going to eat 15 mil

[wiguy94]

1 hour ago, wallus said:

The Rockies aren't going to eat 15 mil

They ate $50M when they traded Arenado. Don't know why they wouldn't eat $15M to get a better return for McMahon.

[wallus]

7 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

They ate $50M when they traded Arenado. Don't know why they wouldn't eat $15M to get a better return for McMahon.

Completely different situations and players. 

I would do Black and Uribe for him and take on the entire contract.

[wntrtxn21]

Just say no to McMahon unless the Rockies eat at least half his contract. He's a career .220/.306 hitter away from Coors. He's certainly not a guy you put in the middle of your order and considering he's owed $44M over the next 3 years, it's just a bad investment for Milwaukee.  The Brewers' payroll is very uncertain next year with the Bally Sports fiasco. $44M is too much for a small market team to pay a guy with a good glove but a blah bat. 

[nate82]

2 hours ago, wallus said:

Completely different situations and players. 

I would do Black and Uribe for him and take on the entire contract.

Yuck that would be a horrible decision.  McMahon is just a more consistent Monasterio or Oliver Dunn.  You really want to give up Black and Uribe for that and take on his whole contract?

[TURBO]

1 hour ago, wntrtxn21 said:

 He's certainly not a guy you put in the middle of your order...

Which is probably exactly what Murphy would do with him.  Adames is gone, so he just slides right into his spot in the order if that is all we add to the roster.

Gross.

[wallus]

2 hours ago, nate82 said:

Yuck that would be a horrible decision.  McMahon is just a more consistent Monasterio or Oliver Dunn.  You really want to give up Black and Uribe for that and take on his whole contract?

If you think he is just a more consistent Monasterio or Dunn, you wouldn't want him at all. I think the defense would be great for us and there are not many other good options for us unfortunately. 

I don't think giving up Black and Uribe is much so yes I would do that. You guys are acting liking a team that is going to shed payroll will throw in that much money.... probably not going to happen.

[nate82]

3 hours ago, wallus said:

If you think he is just a more consistent Monasterio or Dunn, you wouldn't want him at all. I think the defense would be great for us and there are not many other good options for us unfortunately. 

DeJong would be similar to McMahon at a lower salary and won’t cost prospects to acquire.

[wiguy94]

3 hours ago, wallus said:

If you think he is just a more consistent Monasterio or Dunn, you wouldn't want him at all. I think the defense would be great for us and there are not many other good options for us unfortunately. 

I don't think giving up Black and Uribe is much so yes I would do that. You guys are acting liking a team that is going to shed payroll will throw in that much money.... probably not going to happen.

I mean it's getting off two-thirds of his contract and getting a decent prospect haul in return. I don't see why a team looking to get off salary wouldn't entertain that.

[wallus]

3 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

I mean it's getting off two-thirds of his contract and getting a decent prospect haul in return. I don't see why a team looking to get off salary wouldn't entertain that.

You don't think another team would beat that? I would bet a lot of money the Rockies aren't kicking in that kind of money to move him.

[wallus]

11 minutes ago, nate82 said:

DeJong would be similar to McMahon at a lower salary and won’t cost prospects to acquire.

Maybe but Dejong (who I would want as a top bench guy) just had a horrendous 2022 and 2023. I'm just saying that people are underestimating what it will take to trade for McMahon.

[nate82]

7 minutes ago, wallus said:

Maybe but Dejong (who I would want as a top bench guy) just had a horrendous 2022 and 2023. I'm just saying that people are underestimating what it will take to trade for McMahon.

DeJong offensively had a better year than McMahon.  All of McMahon’s value comes from his defense.  Even playing in Coord didn’t help him out offensively.  Offensively he is Monasterio.  Would you trade Black and Uribe for Monasterio?

[wiguy94]

13 minutes ago, wallus said:

You don't think another team would beat that? I would bet a lot of money the Rockies aren't kicking in that kind of money to move him.

I don't see many teams that could use McMahon as much as us. Especially good teams. Here are teams who finished above .500 where McMahon would be an upgrade: Yankees, Astros, Royals, Detroit (depends on if they want Vierling to be a full time 3B), Seattle. 

[wiguy94]

14 minutes ago, nate82 said:

DeJong offensively had a better year than McMahon.  All of McMahon’s value comes from his defense.  Even playing in Coord didn’t help him out offensively.  Offensively he is Monasterio.  Would you trade Black and Uribe for Monasterio?

Saying McMahon is Monasterio offensively is so wrong. 

Outside Coors the last 4 seasons these are McMahon's underlying numbers.

.240/.324/.417 expected slash, .324 xwOBA, 91.1 Avg EV, 46.4% hard hit rate, 9.9% barrel rate

Monasterio's numbers in his MLB career.

.238/.318/.366 expected slash, .304 xwOBA, 88.6 Avg EV, 35.9% hard hit rate, 6.6% barrel rate

McMahon's numbers outside Coors the last 4 years look even better against RHP.

.250/.338/.455 expected slash, .344 xwOBA, 92 Avg EV, 47.9% hard hit rate, 12.3% barrel rate

McMahon has crushed RHP outside Coors the last 2 years

.247/.342/.461 actual slash, .347 wOBA

.269/.361/.514 expected slash, .375 xwOBA, 92.3 Avg EV, 48.3% hard hit rate, 15.3% barrel rate

[wallus]

50 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

I don't see many teams that could use McMahon as much as us. Especially good teams. Here are teams who finished above .500 where McMahon would be an upgrade: Yankees, Astros, Royals, Detroit (depends on if they want Vierling to be a full time 3B), Seattle. 

5 teams is a lot, especially if you are narrowing it down to obvious contenders.

[wallus]

52 minutes ago, nate82 said:

DeJong offensively had a better year than McMahon.  All of McMahon’s value comes from his defense.  Even playing in Coord didn’t help him out offensively.  Offensively he is Monasterio.  Would you trade Black and Uribe for Monasterio?

Wiguy proved why your Monasterio comparison is pretty bad but why are you ignoring 2022, 2023 AND defense? 

[nate82]

2 minutes ago, wallus said:

Wiguy proved why your Monasterio comparison is pretty bad but why are you ignoring 2022, 2023 AND defense? 

McMahon is still a horrible offensive 3B.  

[wiguy94]

15 minutes ago, wallus said:

5 teams is a lot, especially if you are narrowing it down to obvious contenders.

Need to keep in mind Bregman is also a FA. If Astros re-sign him then that takes them out of the running. Yankees might not want to take on more salary if they bring back Soto considering he probably gets over $500M. If it comes down to Royals, Tigers, Brewers then I definitely could see all 3 teams wanting the Rockies to eat a bit of salary.

[nate82]

51 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Saying McMahon is Monasterio offensively is so wrong

Not really the stats you’re showing are only slightly better.  They are not significantly better than Monasterio.  Great he is better at hitting RHP but is that worth Black and Uribe at his current contract?

He is not and thus he is worth about the same as Monasterio as that is his value.  Offensively they look exactly the same to me.  Plus McMahon is going to be 30-years old next season.  He is not going to improve on what he is.  If anything he will regress a bit going forward making him closer to Monasterio offensively. 

[wallus]

2 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Need to keep in mind Bregman is also a FA. If Astros re-sign him then that takes them out of the running. Yankees might not want to take on more salary if they bring back Soto considering he probably gets over $500M. If it comes down to Royals, Tigers, Brewers then I definitely could see all 3 teams wanting the Rockies to eat a bit of salary.

Royals had no problem spending last year and the Tigers have deeper pockets than us. Neither of these teams have the farm system we do to give better prospects instead of taking on the contract