Rockies and Charlie Blackmon have mutual interest in an extension

Many thought 2023 would be Charlie Blackmon’s swan sawn but the Colorado Rockies are interested in bringing back the 37-year-old for a 14th season, according to Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.

The four-time All-Star hasn’t been an elite player in years but he’s been hot as can be since coming off the Injured List a few weeks ago. Blackmon is batting .421 (16-for-38) with six multi-hit games over 10 starts over the past two weeks. The designated hitter and right fielder came back on Aug, 14 after a career-long two-month IL stint for a fractured hand.

On the season, Blackmon is is slashing .285/.372/.463 with seven home runs over 285 plate appearances, translating to a 113 wRC+. It’s been Blackmon’s best season since 2019.

“Yes, we are, if things work out,” Schmidt told The Denver Post. “Charlie would provide a good leadership structure for our young guys. And he can still play.”

Meanwhile Blackmon told The Post, “There is definitely a possibility I’ll come back… I think I’ve been able to bounce back well from the hand injury… And I think we need a good mix of older players like myself to help the young players with adjustments and things like that.”

But Blackmon isn’t going to be a hot commodity on the market at the end of this season which marks the final year of a five-year, $94MM extension he signed back in 2018. Chuck hasn’t played centerfield since 2018. Over the past few years Blackmon shifted to right field then designated hitter and since 2020 Blackmon has only been worth 1.6 fWAR, the total of his 2019 All-Star season.

Blackmon has spent his entire career with the Rockies and is currently the longest-tenured Denver athlete with Gabriel Landeskog, depending on how you track it. If Blackmon is back, he’d join corner outfielder and first baseman Michael Toglia and corner infielder and outfielder Kris Bryant as possible designated hitters in 2024.

Blackmon had two hits in Colorado’s 5-4 loss to Baltimore on Saturday that extended the Rockies losing streak to six games.

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