A week and a half ago, we profiled Rockies outfielder Drew Stubbs as a sell-high candidate who might draw interest from a number of contending teams searching for a solid defender with pop from the right side. Sure enough, Stubbs was the subject of recent discussions the Rockies had with the Mariners, according to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi.
The Rockies are unsure if they want to move the 29-year-old Texan, per Morosi. Stubbs is hitting .297/.335/.498 with 10 home runs, all of that contributing to a career-best 117 OPS+.
Why this makes sense
The Rockies might struggle to find at-bats for Stubbs once Michael Cuddyer returns in mid-August. In the meantime, if they can get a decent return for Stubbs, why not move him? Whatever negative effects that might come as a result of the deal wouldn't really matter for a team that is already 19 games under .500. Plus, Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson are in the midst of breakout seasons and Carlos Gonzalez is attempting to regain his footing after a lengthy DL stint. And even if one of those guys isn't an everyday starter, moving Stubbs would create an opportunity -- even if only temporary -- for Kyle Parker to get some major league reps in the outfield and at the plate.
For the Mariners, even after acquiring Kendrys Morales, they still lack offensive firepower -- particularly in the outfield as well as when facing left-handed pitching, against which Seattle is 29th in the league in sOPS+. Stubbs, who crushes lefties to the tune of a .360/.417/.593 line, might go a long way toward fixing that issue.
Why it doesn't
There is one opinion that is nearly unanimous among people who follow and/or support the Rockies: the team can never have enough depth. Trading away Stubbs would greatly diminish that, particularly because he is such a good fit for Coors Field because of his outfield range and unreal production (.351/.379/.619) in home games.
That last thing is precisely why the Mariners might be hesitant to make a deal worthwhile for Colorado. Stubbs has always been a perfectly solid hitter against lefties, but his overall numbers away from Coors Field -- .229/.277/.343 -- are downright putrid. Of course, severe home/road splits are the case with almost every Rockies player and are generally overstated.
Probability score: 5/10
Troy Tulowitzki was a big advocate of the Rockies' acquisition of Stubbs, according to Nick Groke of the Denver Post. Considering the Rockies are likely going to do anything to avoid upsetting their star player, that alone could affect the chances of Stubbs being dealt, not to mention the fact that we still don't know if the team views itself as a seller heading into the deadline. That said, Colorado should seriously consider moving the productive outfielder if Seattle dangles a prospect who can be a realistic part of the Rockies' future, regardless of whether Tulowitzki is still around to reap the benefits when that happens.