Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is in a brutal spot at the plate, and the numbers say it plainly: he owns the worst OPS in Major League Baseball right now.
Through the 2026 campaign, Tovar is hitting .199 with a .244 on-base percentage and a .327 slugging percentage, which adds up to a .571 OPS. That mark doesn’t just trail the field - it’s a long way from it. The closest qualified hitter is Jurran Duran, who sits at .594.
For a player known more for his glove than his bat, the slump has become impossible to ignore. Tovar, the former 2024 Gold Glove winner, has even been labeled by both the Denver Post and Purple Row as the “worst hitter in MLB.” That’s the kind of designation that tells you just how rough 2026 has been for the Venezuelan-born infielder.
The contrast with the game’s elite is stark. OPS is built to capture overall offensive value, and the best hitters in baseball have been operating in a different universe.
Over the last five MLB seasons, league leaders have averaged 1.1048, with Aaron Judge setting the pace in each of the last two years at 1.144 in 2024 and 1.159 in 2025. Tovar’s current production is nowhere close to that neighborhood.
He is under contract through the 2030 season, with a $23 million club option for 2031. But with top prospect Ethan Holliday - the second-generation star who is currently injured but expected to be healthy by Spring Training 2027 - waiting in the wings, Tovar’s long-term hold on shortstop at Coors Field looks shaky. The more likely path, according to the source report, is that he plays one more season with the Rockies before being moved in a trade.
For now, Tovar and Colorado are focused on the present, with game two against the Washington Nationals set for Tuesday night and Michael Lorenzen listed as the probable starter.
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Rockies Suddenly Hold One Of The Deadlines Most Coveted Catchers
As the trade deadline approaches, Colorado has quietly become one of the more interesting teams to watch simply because of what it has behind the plate. Hunter Goodman has emerged as a rare catching option with real power, and his production has naturally drawn attention from clubs looking for offense at a premium position. For a Rockies team that is always thinking about roster value, having a catcher with that kind of profile and club control through 2029 makes him a particularly intriguing piece.
The appeal goes beyond a short-term rental, which is why the market around him could get complicated fast. Teams in need of catching help do not often find an option with both established power and years of control, and that combination tends to drive up the price when July shopping gets serious. For Colorado, the question is whether that interest turns into the kind of deadline leverage that can reshape the conversation around one of its most valuable players. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Fans Wont Like Which Power Bat Is Drawing Trade Buzz
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For the Rockies, the appeal is obvious and the downside is just as clear. Goodman has given them middle-of-the-order thump and enough production to make rival evaluators take notice, while his contract situation gives any interested team plenty to think about beyond a one-year rental. Bostons need for power and catching help makes the fit easy to understand, but the larger issue for Colorado is what happens if a division full of aggressive buyers decides it wants the same player. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Face A Familiar Problem After Their Wild Comeback Win
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The lineup is also heading into unfamiliar territory against Cade Cavalli, with very little recent history for Colorado hitters to lean on. For a club still weighing how much value it can squeeze from the rest of the season, every game like this matters a little more than the standings suggest, especially as the Rockies keep one eye on the field and another on how certain pieces fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]