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The Colorado Rockies have agreed to terms with outfielder Gerardo Parra, according to reports from Jon Morosi and Wilmer Reina:
Gerardo Parra has signed with #Rockies for 3 years and $26 million, according to report from my friend @WilmerReina.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 12, 2016
The three-year deal is an interesting one for a team presumably looking to build toward the end of those three years. The original report came in Spanish but suggests there is a fourth-year team option as well, which could work heavily in the Rockies' favor if Parra plays well in Denver:
Los #Rockies tendrán una opción de $12 millones para el 4 año de contrato y 1.5M by out
— Wilmer Reina (@WilmerReina) January 12, 2016
This comes after much speculation that the Rockies would sign Parra, which had already left many wondering what that means for a Rockies outfield already crowded with quality players in Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon, and Corey Dickerson.
Does this signing signal a trade of one of those players? ESPN's Jim Bowden seems to think so:
Parra signing with the Rockies probably means their next step will be to trade Blackmon, Dickerson or Gonzalez #Rockies
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) January 12, 2016
There have even been questions as to whether Parra fits in Colorado, despite being close buddies with Gonzalez. The Rockies now have four left-handed hitting corner outfielders. So, the most logical explanation for this move is that there are more to come.
The signing puts the Rockies at 41 men on the 40-man roster, meaning there has to be at least some kind of transaction in the near future. It could be as much as a blockbuster trade or as little as optioning/DFA'ing a current member of the roster.
Stay tuned to Purple Row for an in-depth player profile on Parra and any further wrinkles in this story and subsequent moves as they develop.