The Colorado Rockies aren’t fooling themselves heading into 2026. After a brutal 43-119 finish last season - the worst in franchise history outside of the COVID-shortened year - this isn’t a team expecting to make a postseason push.
But that doesn’t mean they’re standing still. Quietly, the front office is trying to reshape a roster that was overmatched in 2025, and they’ve already started laying the groundwork.
The Rockies have made a few under-the-radar moves this offseason. They signed versatile utility man Willi Castro, and swung trades to bring in outfielder Jake McCarthy and infielder Edouard Julien.
None of those names are going to set off fireworks at Coors Field, but in a rebuild, it’s about collecting potential contributors who can grow into something more. That’s the hope with this trio.
Still, the Rockies know they’re not done. One area they’re actively looking to upgrade?
First base. Specifically, they’re targeting a left-handed bat to balance out a lineup that’s been too right-handed for too long.
According to industry chatter, three names have been on Colorado’s radar: Luis Arraez, Nathaniel Lowe, and Dominic Smith.
Scratch Arraez off the list - he’s signed a one-year deal with the Giants. That leaves Lowe and Smith as the most likely targets. Neither is a game-changer at this stage of their career, but both bring something the Rockies need: a lefty presence with big-league experience and some offensive upside.
Let’s break it down.
Dominic Smith is coming off a 63-game stint with the Giants in 2025, where he hit .284 with five home runs and 33 RBIs. Solid contact numbers, but the power just hasn’t been there consistently. That’s been the knock on Smith throughout his career - when he’s hot, he can help a lineup, but the stretches in between have made it hard for teams to count on him as an everyday bat.
Nathaniel Lowe, on the other hand, had a down year in terms of batting average, hitting just .228 across 153 games split between the Nationals and Red Sox. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.
He still managed to launch 18 home runs and drive in a career-high 84 RBIs. That kind of production would’ve ranked him third in homers and second in RBIs on last year’s Rockies team - a team desperate for any kind of pop in the lineup.
Lowe also brings a bit more pedigree to the table. He won a Gold Glove in 2023, and he’s now put together five straight seasons with at least 16 home runs and 72 RBIs. That’s not elite territory, but it’s steady, and for a young Rockies lineup lacking veteran anchors, that kind of consistency matters.
Right now, the Rockies’ first base depth chart is topped by Troy Johnston, a waiver pickup from the Marlins. Johnston made his MLB debut in 2025 and held his own, hitting .277 with four home runs and 13 RBIs over 44 games.
There’s some intrigue there, and Colorado would love to see if he can stick. But let’s be real - if the Rockies were sold on Johnston as the everyday guy, they wouldn’t still be shopping around.
Adding someone like Lowe would give the Rockies a proven bat with some thump, a left-handed presence in the middle of the order, and a glove that can hold its own. He’s not going to carry the offense, but he doesn’t have to. He just needs to raise the floor - and right now, that’s exactly what Colorado needs more of.
The Rockies aren’t chasing headlines this offseason. They’re trying to build something more sustainable. Signing Lowe wouldn’t make them contenders overnight, but it would be a step in the right direction - a sign that they’re serious about improving, even if the road back to relevance is a long one.