Paul DePodesta hasn’t wasted any time putting his stamp on the Colorado Rockies. Since stepping into his new role as president of baseball operations, he's been actively reshaping the organization-from building out his front office team to officially naming Warren Schaeffer as the full-time manager. But when it comes to the roster itself, the moves so far have been more about setting the table than making a splash.
After a brutal 2025 campaign that saw the Rockies drop 119 games-marking their third straight 100-loss season-there’s no sugarcoating the rebuild ahead. So far, the most notable roster addition has been left-handed reliever Brennan Bernardino, acquired from the Red Sox in November. It’s a solid pickup, but not exactly the kind of move that sends shockwaves through the league.
That said, the bigger question looming over DePodesta’s early tenure is how aggressive he’ll be in free agency-and how he plans to strategically add pieces that can both help now and potentially pay dividends later.
Enter Luis Arraez.
The veteran first baseman has been floated as a logical fit for Colorado, and it’s not hard to see why. Arraez, who spent 2025 with the San Diego Padres, brings a contact-heavy approach that would play well at Coors Field.
In 154 games last season, he slashed .292/.327/.392 with eight home runs, 64 RBIs, and 34 extra-base hits. While those power numbers don’t jump off the page, the elevation in Denver could give his bat a little extra pop-especially in a lineup that could use some veteran consistency.
But what really makes Arraez intriguing for the Rockies isn’t just the bat-it’s the fit. He’s the kind of player who can immediately provide value at first base or designated hitter, all while giving a young roster a steadying presence. And if the team isn’t in contention by midseason-as most expect-he becomes a prime candidate to be flipped at the trade deadline for prospects or future assets.
There’s also the matter of strikeouts-or rather, the lack of them. Arraez is one of the toughest outs in the game.
In 2025, he struck out just 21 times in 675 plate appearances. That’s not a typo.
And in 53 career at-bats at Coors Field? Not a single strikeout.
That kind of bat-to-ball skill is rare in today’s game, and it’s exactly the kind of offensive profile that can thrive in the spacious gaps of Colorado’s home park.
The Rockies aren’t expected to go on a spending spree this winter. DePodesta is taking a measured, long-term approach, and that means every move will be calculated.
But Arraez makes too much sense to ignore. He’s a low-risk, high-upside option who can help now and potentially bring back value later.
For a team trying to rebuild the right way, that’s the kind of move that fits the blueprint.
No, signing Arraez wouldn’t instantly turn Colorado into a contender. But it would be a step in the right direction-bringing in a player who can produce, entertain, and maybe even help accelerate the rebuild. And after the kind of season Rockies fans just endured, that would be a welcome gift.