Senzatela, Moniak could be valuable to Rockies at trade deadline
It’s never too early to look ahead for the Colorado Rockies, a team that is showing improvement in 2026 but will need more pieces to truly compete in 2027 and beyond.
This year’s MLB trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. Aug. 3. That day, the Rockies will entertain the Tampa Bay Rays, and the roster could look much different by the time that game gets underway.
How Colorado’s new front office, paced by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes, treats this year’s trade deadline will be a baseball focal point.
The Rockies were more aggressive last season in Bill Schmidt’s final year as general manager, trading off Jake Bird and Ryan McMahon to the New York Yankees and Tyler Kinley to the Atlanta Braves. Will the Rockies be as aggressive in 2026? DePodesta wasn’t ready to divulge any kind of strategy when asked recently.
“I think the trade deadline is probably further away and further from our minds,” DePodesta said when asked for any clues about the strategy for the MLB draft and trade deadline. “We continue to want to see what we have here.”
What the Rockies have here are some potential trade candidates who could be on the move before Aug. 3, listed below in terms of current value (which can always change) and potential trade.
Antonio Senzatela — In his 10th season, all with the Rockies, the 31-year-old Senzatela has reinvented himself this season into one of MLB’s most effective relievers. After earning a save on Saturday against Arizona, Senzatela has a 1.27 ERA in 28 1/3 innings over 13 games this season.
Senzatela is in the final year of a five-year, $50.5 million deal, with a team option in place for 2027. The contract price and what he is doing on the mound right now make him one of the most coveted trade targets and “hottest commodities at the trade deadline,” according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, who adds that Senzatela “should bring a nice trade return for the Rockies.”
Along with Kyle Freeland, Senzatela is one of the last connecting pieces between the current Rockies team and their last postseason run in 2018. However, any sentimental thoughts may be pushed to the side if Senzatela’s current success can help build the Rockies of the near future.
Mickey Moniak — This could be the biggest question facing the Rockies at the trade deadline. Does the franchise keep the player that is arguably their biggest offensive threat and trending toward being their representative at this year’s All-Star Game? Or do they capitalize on his hot start to the season to bring in high-ranking prospects?
When the Rockies traded McMahon last season, they received the eighth-ranked and 21st-ranked prospects from the Yankees. If a team offered the Rockies a pair of top-15 prospects for Moniak, that might be a deal that would be considered.
Signed for $4 million this season, Moniak is under team control through the 2027 season. He’s also posted a 1.212 OPS at home versus a .795 OPS on the road this year, another reason why he may be more valuable to the Rockies than any other team.
Brennan Bernardino — Heading into Sunday, the southpaw reliever’s ERA stood at 4.15 overall. However, there are some nuances within the numbers.
In two games as an opener, Bernardino has given up three runs in 1 1/3 innings. In his 18 games as a reliever, he’s surrendered five runs in 16.0 innings, a modest 2.81 ERA.
Like Moniak, the 34-year-old Bernardino is under team control through 2027. Also like Moniak, Bernardino has been better at Coors (3.52 ERA in 7 2/3 innings) than on the road (4.66 ERA in 9 2/3 innings).
Lefty relievers are usually in-demand pieces at the trade deadline, and Bernardino could fall into that mix this year.
Troy Johnston — Perhaps a surprise entry on the list, but what Johnston has done in his first season in Denver so far has been exceptional for the Rockies.
The 28-year-old Johnston entered Sunday ranked ninth in MLB with a .316 batting average. He was batting .424 with runners in scoring position, the second-highest mark in all of baseball. He’s also well regarded on the Rockies for his energy and what he brings to the clubhouse.
Johnston is under team control through the 2031 season, so the Rockies could keep him as a bridge piece moving forward. However, any intriguing return would have to be considered as well.
Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 6
What happened: Corbin Carroll homered twice and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added a solo shot as part of a 12-hit Arizona attack as the Diamondbacks clinched a series win in Denver by holding off a late Rockies rally.
On the mound: Arizona scored six of the seven runs surrendered by Colorado starter Michael Lorenzen with two outs in the inning. Lorenzen’s ERA at Coors Field climbed to 10.52 with the outing, as he has now given up 27 runs in 23 1/3 innings at 20th and Blake.
At the plate: Colorado didn’t have a hit against Arizona starter Michael Soroka until Troy Johnston doubled with two outs in the fourth. That was the first of three consecutive doubles for the Rockies, plating a pair of runs.
What’s next: Colorado plans to send Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.97 ERA) to the mound to face MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 4.50 ERA) as the Rockies and Texas Rangers open a three-game series at Coors Field at 6:40 p.m. Monday.