Colorado Rockies Shockingly Elect to Non-Tender Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill

Gold Glove second baseman Brendan Rodgers and veteran pitcher Cal Quantrill have both been cut loose by the Colorado Rockies entering their final year of arbitration.

Jul 21, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies second base Brendan Rodgers (7) runs off a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies have non-tendered second baseman Brendan Rodgers and right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill, the team announced Friday night.

The pair of surprise moves came in just before MLB's non-tender deadline at 8 p.m. ET. As a result, both Rodgers and Quantrill have become free agents.

Rodgers, a 28-year-old former Gold Glove winner, had come up in trade rumors as recently as last week. It appears that no teams were willing to bite on the second baseman at his current price tag, which the Rockies seemingly weren't comfortable paying either.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Rodgers to make $5.5 million in arbitration in 2025 before hitting free agency next winter. Spotrac, meanwhile, had him down for $6.8 million.

Quantrill was also heading into his final year of arbitration eligibility, tracking for an even larger payday than the one Rodgers was in line for. MLB Trade Rumors expected the righty to make $9.0 million, compared to the $9.8 million value he had been assigned by Spotrac.

In letting Rodgers and Quantrill walk, the Rockies have effectively freed up around $15 million from their 2025 payroll. However, Colorado also washed its hands of two of its more reliable veterans in the process.

The Rockies announced today that they have agreed to one-year contracts to avoid arbitration with LHP Lucas Gilbreath and OF Sam Hilliard.

Additionally, the Rockies have non-tendered RHP Cal Quantrill and INF Brendan Rodgers.

The Rockies have 38 players on the 40-man roster.

— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) November 23, 2024

Rodgers had a bounce back season in 2024 after missing over 100 games in 2023 due to shoulder surgery. In 135 games this year, Rodgers hit .267 with 13 home runs, 29 doubles, 54 RBI, a .721 OPS and a 1.0 WAR.

Between 2021 and 2022, Rodgers hit .274 with a .761 OPS, averaging 14 home runs, 26 doubles, 57 RBI, nine defensive runs saved and a 2.9 WAR each year. That wasn't what was expected from the former No. 10 overall prospect in baseball, but it was decent production nonetheless.

Quantrill arrived in Colorado via a trade with the Cleveland Guardians last November, and he proceeded to post the second-highest WAR on the Rockies' entire pitching staff. In 29 starts, Quantrill went 8-11 with a 4.98 ERA, 1.517 WHIP and 1.7 WAR.

While that technically marked a step up from the 4-7 record, 5.24 ERA, 1.465 WHIP and -0.1 WAR that Quantrill put up with the Guardians in 2023, ot remained a far cry from the 25-8 record, 3.08 ERA, 1.196 WHIP and 6.2 WAR that he had as a swingman-turned-starter from 2020 to 2022.

Germán Márquez, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner, Austin Gomber and Antonio Senzatela are left as the meat of the Rockies' starting rotation in Quantrill's absence.

As for second base, Colorado could turn to either 21-year-old Adael Amador or 27-year-old Aaron Schunk, both of whom made their respective MLB debuts this season. The Rockies also signed former Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins utilityman Kyle Farmer on Friday, soon after letting Rodgers walk.

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