The Rockies used Monday’s trade deadline to make a move with an eye on what comes next, sending right-handed reliever Victor Vodnik to the Marlins and getting infielder Connor Norby plus right-handed pitching prospect Aiden May in return, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
It’s the kind of deal that fits Colorado’s deadline approach: give up a useful big league arm, but bring back players who can stay in the picture beyond this season. Vodnik had become one of the more dependable late-inning options in the Rockies’ bullpen, and his team control made him appealing to teams trying to shore up their relief corps before the deadline closed.
Norby is the centerpiece of the return. The 26-year-old gives Colorado another controllable major league bat who can step in right away and compete for playing time. He has already logged nearly 200 big league games, and while his production has dipped this year, the Rockies are clearly betting on the upside.
In 65 games with the Marlins this season, Norby hit .205 with four home runs, 16 RBI, six stolen bases and a .638 OPS. For his career, he owns a .234 average with 21 home runs and 70 RBI.
His defensive versatility adds to the appeal. Norby has played all three infield bases, giving manager Warren Schaeffer another movable piece as Colorado sorts through its options over the next two months. He’s not locked in as an everyday player yet, but the Rockies see a bat with more in it than he has shown so far this year.
May gives Colorado another young arm to develop. The 23-year-old right-hander has spent this season at High-A Beloit, where he is 4-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 14 starts across 68.2 innings. Over his career, he has posted a 3.47 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 96 innings while holding opponents to a .217 batting average.
He’s not expected to be in the majors anytime soon, but he adds another name to the system for Colorado to build on down the road.
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Rockies Just Turned The Brenton Doyle Deal Into A Bigger Question
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In return, Colorado brought in Mason Adams, a right-handed pitcher who was working back from Tommy John surgery and had reached Triple-A Charlotte, along with Venezuelan infield prospect Carlos Vielma, a recent international signee playing in the Dominican Summer League. It is the kind of trade that can look very different a year or two down the road, depending on whether the pitching recovery holds and the young infielder develops, which is what makes the next chapter of this deal worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Just Made A Brenton Doyle Move Fans Feared
Brenton Doyles name has been a familiar one in Colorado for the wrong reasons this season, with the center fielder battling injuries and trying to find his offensive footing after establishing himself as one of the games best defensive players. A two-time Gold Glove winner, Doyle was still drawing attention for his range and reliability in center even as his bat lagged behind the level he set earlier in his career.
Now the Rockies are moving on, with Chicago stepping in to add Doyle to a White Sox outfield that needed help on the defensive side. The appeal is obvious from the White Sox perspective: a slick glove in center and the hope that a new environment can get the offense back to where it once was, while Colorado is left to sort out what comes next in the middle of its outfield. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox May Have Found A Center Field Fix With One Catch
The White Sox appear to be close to addressing a lingering need in center field by targeting Brenton Doyle, a move that would lean heavily on his glove rather than his bat. Doyle has had offensive struggles in recent seasons, but his defensive reputation has kept him in the mix, and Chicago seems ready to use him as a backup option and platoon partner as it tries to stabilize the position.
For Colorado, the return would bring back pitching depth in Mason Adams and Carlos Vielma, though the swap is still sitting in medical review and not yet complete. Until the paperwork clears, there is still a bit of uncertainty around the deal, but it is the kind of transaction that could reshape both clubs depth charts if it goes through. [Read more 🡒]