The trade deadline was a mixed bag for Jeff Bridich and the Rockies

The Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone, and the Rockies added two key players to bolster their run for a 2020 pennant chase. It was no doubt that with Nolan Arenado’s comments this offseason, Jeff Bridich and the Rockies front office had to some moves.

With one of the leagues worst bullpen ERAs, plus the injuries to Scott Oberg and Wade Davis, the Rockies traded for right-handed veteran Mychal Givens. Also with David Dahl on the injured list, Bridich made the call to Boston and traded for outfielder Kevin Pillar. With both these moves, the Rockies should be contenders for the next two years, solidifying Arenado’s career in Denver.

Both moves were good for the team. But they could also be flops like in recent past.

First, the good parts about this week for the Rockies. Colorado has one of the worst bullpen ERAs in Major League Baseball and the addition for Givens was a given. The veteran from Baltimore had nothing but success in Baltimore with a 1.38 ERA and has 19 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. His fastball is nearly untouchable and his strength will bolster the youthful bullpen.

This move shows that Bridich is comfortable giving up club-ranked, top-15 prospects in the farm system as the front office looks to rebuild this horrendous bullpen. We saw this similar move in 2017 when the Rockies traded for Pat Neshek and the Rockies lost in the wild card game to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With Dahl out to due injury, the Rockies brought in one of the most-electric outfielders making spectacular plays. As the old saying goes, “Defense wins you championships.” Pillar’s best statistical line is defensive runs saved in centerfield. In 2015, Pillar won the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year for the Toronto Blue Jays. Pillar also adds an above-average bat, hitting a .274 batting average with four home runs and 13 RBIs so far this season. Playing centerfield at Coors Field for Pillar shouldn’t too unfamiliar with the 31-year-old veteran, as he played for the San Francisco Giants in 2019.

Now for the bad situation at stake for the Rockies. Currently, the team sits in third place in the NL West, behind the Dodgers and the Padres. The Rockies lost three of four to the Padres this weekend, as San Diego also made a huge splash during the trade deadline, acquiring pitcher Mike Clevinger from the Cleveland Indians. The Padres can taste blood in the NL West and are all in for postseason play in 2020.

Another interpretation of the moves the Rockies made were due in part to a panic mode with an injured team. Oberg, Davis and Dahl all being injured made the front office panic and went into the mindset of turning into buyers and not sellers for the deadline. With Arenado’s frustrated comments this past offseason insinuating that Bridich and company didn’t make enough moves for him to succeed in Colorado, the organization had no other option to be buyers to keep their future Hall of Fame third baseman happy and make the appropriate moves.

It’s rare for struggling teams to make these many moves and lose their potential future to be in a win-now mode. Although we can only speculate how the Rockies will finish their season, the Rockies still look poised to chase a wild card spot and compete against the Padres for a second-place finish.

If these moves work out, and the team makes a postseason appearance, Bridich will get back his reputation. The question is, if these moves don’t work, who will be on the hot season during the long offseason?