The Rockies may be staring at the kind of offseason call that changes the shape of a roster. Ezequiel Tovar is still only 25, still young enough that another team could talk itself into a rebound, and that’s exactly why Colorado might want to listen if the right offer comes along.
Tovar’s value isn’t built on the bat. It’s built on the glove.
He’s a very good defensive shortstop and has already earned a Gold Glove. Even after a rough overall season, he gave Colorado a clean ending by going 4-for-4 with a home run against the Chicago White Sox in the regular-season finale.
But one strong game, or even one strong series, doesn’t erase what has been a shaky stretch over the last two seasons.
The offensive profile is where the concern lives. Tovar has struggled with plate discipline, gets into swings too early, doesn’t walk much, and doesn’t bring much power.
He has three seasons with more than 100 strikeouts, and it would have been four if he hadn’t missed so many games in the 2025 season. He still finished that year with 98 strikeouts, then followed it with 200 strikeouts in 2024, which is described as arguably his best season with the Rockies.
His 2026 line was ugly: a -0.3 WAR, a .219 batting average, a .264 on-base percentage and a .617 OPS. That batting average was the second-lowest of his career.
That’s why the Rockies have to at least explore the market. If they can turn Tovar into two or maybe three picks in return, there’s a case to be made for pulling the trigger. Colorado needs pitching, has a hole at second base, and also has two promising shortstop prospects in Ethan Holliday and Tyler Bell waiting in the wings.
Of course, keeping Tovar would make sense if the front office simply doesn’t see a better replacement yet, or if the relationship between player and team is strong enough to keep things intact. But the bigger point remains the same: the Rockies can’t hold onto him forever.
In a business like this, the choice is usually now or later - and later often means the return is worse. So the front office should take the calls and find out what the market will actually deliver.
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