Jake McCarthy keeps stacking up the kind of season that makes a front office think twice.
He’s hitting .302, tied for sixth in the Majors, and he’s doing it in a way the Rockies clearly value: aggressive on the bases, sharp in the field and productive at the top of the lineup. He’s already got 17 steals, seven triples, 10 homers and two inside-the-park home runs. After Saturday night’s 8-5 loss to the Brewers at American Family Field, he also extended his on-base streak to 19 games and his hit streak to 11 with a two-run single in the ninth.
That production has turned McCarthy into one of the faces of the approach president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, general manager Josh Byrnes and manager Warren Schaeffer have been pushing in Colorado.
“When I talked to Schaeff or Paul or Josh whenever they traded for me, they made it clear that they like the way I play, and they’re trying to build a team like that at Coors Field,” McCarthy said before Saturday night’s game. “They liked the well-rounded approach.
“I take pride in defense and baserunning, and I try to be a good hitter. They’ve allowed me to dig into that. They said, ‘When you get on base and you’re hunting another 90 feet, go get it.’”
Schaeffer has seen the fit firsthand. McCarthy’s ability to set the tone has helped lock him into the leadoff role, especially with the Rockies still sorting out the best top-of-the-order option against right-handers. Earlier this year, Schaeffer had used switch-hitting Willi Castro against lefties while searching for a consistent answer against righties.
McCarthy hasn’t just filled the spot - he’s made it look natural. He said the Rockies have given him the freedom to play the way he’s always wanted.
“They let me be me,” McCarthy said. “They like that I run the bases aggressively.
They like that I’m an aggressive hitter. It’s awesome to get a ton of at-bats at the top of the lineup.
Later in the game, it seems there’s always someone on base for me. And they give me the opportunity to hit righties and lefties.”
His path to this point hasn’t been smooth. McCarthy rarely hit leadoff with the Diamondbacks from 2021-25, and last season he struggled after trying to alter his swing in an effort to create more power. Even before the trade, though, he was getting back to the swing that suited him best.
That’s part of why his name keeps surfacing in Trade Deadline talk. The Rockies acquired him from the Diamondbacks for Minor League pitcher Josh Grosz on Jan. 10, and now they have to weigh whether a player who fits their vision so cleanly could also bring back the kind of return that changes the organization’s trajectory.
The deadline itself adds to the noise: Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. MT.
Colorado’s first move after the All-Star break hinted at a more flexible mindset. On Monday, the Rockies sent right-hander Seth Halvorsen to the Dodgers for Triple-A reliever Nick Frasso and Single-A outfield prospect Landyn Vidourek, a deal that suggested the club is open to creative ways to add talent now and later.
At the same time, there are limits. Sources with knowledge of the situation say the Rockies would need a massive offer to move catcher Hunter Goodman.
McCarthy’s case is trickier because he has become a symbol of what the Rockies are trying to build. Their offense is showing signs of life, too. The club is averaging 4.49 runs per game over 53 road games, a pace that would put it fourth in franchise history if it holds and mark the first time since the 2007 World Series team that Colorado finished a season above 4.0 on the road.
His RBI single in the ninth on Saturday also helped push the Rockies’ MLB-leading total of runs scored in the eighth inning or later to 140. That late-game fight and the ability to stay competitive away from Coors Field are part of the foundation the team believes can carry forward, even if the roster changes again before the deadline.
For now, McCarthy says he wants to stay put.
“I love it here - I tell my friends and family this is where I want to be,” said McCarthy, who said his name in trade rumors comes up almost every year. “So my job over the next 10 days is to just keep showing up, playing good defense, getting a couple of hits and helping the team. The rest will take care of itself.”
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Rockies Fans Wont Believe The Trade Idea Involving Hunter Goodman
Hunter Goodman has become the kind of player that naturally shows up in trade chatter, and for good reason. The Rockies catcher has put together a big offensive season, with power that has stood out across the National League, while still being young enough and affordable enough to make him far more than a rental. He is under club control through 2029 and has not even reached arbitration yet, which only adds to the appeal for any team looking for a long-term answer behind the plate.
That is why a recent idea sending Goodman to the Yankees at the 2026 trade deadline has drawn attention, even if it would be a massive swing for both sides. New York would be trying to shore up catching depth with a player who has already shown middle-of-the-order production, while Colorado would be weighing whether to cash in on a rare trade chip with years of control remaining. For Rockies fans, the hard part is not understanding why Goodman would interest contenders. It is imagining what it would take to even start a conversation. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes Arguelles interesting is not just the production, but the way evaluators describe the approach behind it. He is viewed as an advanced hitter who can work the whole field and handle at-bats with a maturity beyond his age, while still leaving room for growth as he adds strength and rounds out the rest of his game. The Rockies know better than anyone how quickly prospect hype can fade, but this one has enough polish and upside to keep people talking for a while. [Read more 🡒]