The Colorado Rockies found a way to get rid of their outfield logjam Thursday. The team reportedly agreed to send Corey Dickerson to the Tampa Bay Rays for closer Jake McGee. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports initially reported the deal, while Joel Sherman of the New York Post first said McGee was involved.
The 26-year-old Dickerson has put up strong numbers the past two seasons, though that comes with a few caveats. Dickerson crushes right-handed pitching, but isn't the same player against lefties. He hit .328, with 21 of his 24 home runs off righties during his 2014 breakout, and hit .315 with all 10 of his home runs coming off righties in 2015.
Not surprisingly, Dickerson also benefitted from playing his home games at Coors Field the past few seasons. Over his career, Dickerson has hit an exceptional .355 at home and a pedestrian .249 on the road.
Moving from a great hitter's park like Coors Field to a strong pitcher's park like The Trop will likely have a negative impact on his numbers, but Dickerson should still remain an effective hitter against right-handers. The Rays will likely platoon Dickerson with one of their other outfielders, and could see some success with that arrangement.
The move is puzzling from the Rockies end. While dealing an outfielder became a priority after the team signed Gerardo Parra to a three-year deal, getting McGee in return is a head-scratcher. The 29-year-old reliever is a strong player, posting a 2.41 ERA with an exceptional 32.9 strikeout rate last season, but it's tough to know how he improves the Rockies right now. Having an All-Star closer is a good thing, but it doesn't really help a team projected to win 74 games next season.
As currently constructed, the Rockies have a lot of holes. While picking up a great reliever is fine, McGee doesn't make the team an instant playoff contender. The club could have attempted to pick up a few young starters, or perhaps a more legitimate first baseman in the deal, but settled on a reliever who will be a free-agent following the 2017 season.
McGee isn't likely to be a part of the next great Rockies team. And, given the state of the organization, that's the type of player they should be seeking at the moment. While the club can deal him for a useful part down the road, he's just not a big enough improvement right now.
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