Wednesday Rockpile: Reacting to your Rockies trade proposals

DENVER, CO - JUNE 22: Catcher Hunter Goodman (15) of the Colorado Rockies and pitcher Brennan Bernardino (83) celebrate after the seventh inning during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline on August 3 is drawing ever closer. Over the weekend, the Colorado Rockies made clear which players are definitely available for trade, and it’s not a surprising list. Of course, anything is possible, and teams are likely still calling about other players mentioned.

The Rockies have let teams know that the following players are available for trade, per @BNightengale : Antonio Senzatela Kyle Freeland Michael Lorenzen Tomoyuki Sugano Mickey Moniak Jake McCarthy Willi Castro pic.twitter.com/m9YaV1XzgU

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 26, 2026

So, last Friday, I asked the Purple Row community to play armchair general manager and chime in with their trade proposals and ideas of what could be done at the deadline. Ideas have also popped up in other article comment sections, such as our MLB Trade Deadline tracker articles . After combing through the comments, I’ve compiled some of the trades that stood out to me by themed categorie and credited those who submitted the deals.

Moving Brennan Bernardio for young pitching

Brennan Bernardino, the Rockies’ lone lefty in the bullpen, has been excellent this year. Southpaw relievers are always at a premium, and it may behoove the Rockies to move the 34-year-old despite three more years of control. A number of trades focused on getting young starting pitching for Bernardino’s services.

Bernardino to Baltimore for RHP Nestor German -Ozarkbear

The Rockies need to build up starting pitching depth, and this trade could bring in a nice piece. Nestor German ranks as the Baltimore Orioles No. 13 prospect per MLB Pipeline and has done well since being drafted in the 11th round in 2023. Pitching in Triple-A this season, he has a 3.91 ERA in 96.2 innings while striking out 103 batters against 34 walks. He has a well-rounded arsenal and pounds the zone with all of his pitches. I like the trade for Colorado because it gives them a young starter who is nearly ready to pitch in the big leagues and checks a lot of boxes for the new front office. The Rockies say yes, but the Orioles may be a bit more hesitant.

Bernardino back to Red Sox for RHP Kyson Witherspoon -sdcarp

The Boston Red Sox got scorching hot over the last few weeks and are suddenly positioned as buyers this season. They made the first big splash by acquiring Curtis Mead from Washington for starting pitcher Connelly Early, but could a reunion with Bernardino be of interest? Kyson Witherspoon was drafted 15th overall last season by Boston and is ranked as their No. 4 prospect. The 21-year-old has been finding his footing in High-A with a 5.01 ERA in 16 starts. He’s got a varied pitch mix that can generate swing and miss; he just needs to work on honing his command to reduce the walks. It’s another yes for the Rockies, but hard to see Boston overpaying more than they did in the Mead deal, especially for a reliever they are familiar with. It would need more pieces.

A deal for Emerson Hancock?

The Seattle Mariners have a plethora of starting pitchers and have made it clear that two of them are available for trade. It may be a little harder for them to move Luis Castillo, but Emerson Hancock is plenty enticing, and the M’s may try to sell high. Reports say that Seattle would like a right-handed bat and some bullpen help, but perhaps the Rockies could figure something out.

Hancock and a pitching prospect for McCarthy/Moniak, Fulford, Veen/Thompson -stork24

By acquiring Hancock, the Rockies acquire a starting pitcher that can immediately slot into the rotation, is just 27, and under team control through 2030. He’s having a solid year, but there may be things in the underlying metrics that are concern enough for the Mariners that they are comfortable moving him. As for the Rockies side of this, I think Jake McCarthy and Sterlin Thompson would be the players I include in an offer with Braxton Fulford. McCarthy and Thompson bring quality hit tools that are always beneficial, especially in Seattle, while building out some depth down the stretch. Fulford would essentially replace Mitch Garver as the backup catcher but that’s mostly a lateral move.

Unfortunately, I think the Mariners say no to this one because they already have enough left-handed bats, and the right-handed bats on their bench are not good. I think Willi Castro, Jordan Beck, Tyler Freeman, or Brenton Doyle would have to be included in a deal, and a decent reliever like Bernardino instead to swing a deal.

Trading with the Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are once again leading the way as the top team in the American League. They once again find themselves in a position to bolster their lead in the AL East, so perhaps a trade with the Rockies could fix what ails them.

Moniak and Castro to Rays for RHP Ty Johnson, RHP TJ Nichols, OF Brendan Summerhill, and 2B Émilian Pitre -mth0620

This a very interesting trade that I would be inclined to accept. Ty Johnson and TJ Nichols are ranked as the Rays’ No. 10 and No. 19 prospects, respectively, while Brendan Summerhill and Émilian Pitre are No. 23 and No. 27. Johnson is a starting pitcher that could be ready to debut in 2027, if not this season, while Nichols has struggled in Double-A this season but has a power fastball and some interesting secondary pitches. Meanwhile, Summerhill is comparable to McCarthy for the Rockies, while Pitre is a contact-heavy second baseman with speed and a solid glove capable of playing shortstop as well. This would give the Rockies a lot of great pieces that fit the mold of the players new front office values.

McCarthy for Santiago Suarez and Émilien Pitre -Ski to Coors

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Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →