Colorado Rockies bring back a franchise legend to assist the GM

The Colorado Rockies are hiring one of the greatest players in franchise history to try to help turn the team around.

Todd Helton is returning to the team he played 17 years for in a new role.

Welcome back, Todd Helton🙌👏 pic.twitter.com/bT9WLCjYkr

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 9, 2022

Helton “will assist in all areas of baseball operations,” according to a press release from the team. Current GM Bill Schmidt was named to the position full-time in October of 2021 after taking over on an interim basis, following the resignation of Jeff Bridich.

The No. 8 overall pick in the 1995 MLB Draft, Helton is one of the greatest Rockies of all-time. He remains the franchise leader in games played (2,247), runs (1,401), hits (2,519), doubles (592), home runs (369), RBI (1,406) and walks (1,335).

A five-time All-Star (2000-04), four-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2000-03) and three-time Gold Glove winner (2001-02, 2004), Helton had his No. 17 retired by the Rockies on Aug. 17, 2014, the first uniform number in franchise history to be retired.

Helton received 52.0% of the vote in his fourth year on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2022, 23.0% shy of the 75% of votes required for induction.

The Rockies kicked off the 2022 season with a 5-3 Opening Day loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Coors Field and the two teams are set to complete a three-game series on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
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