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Jake McCarthy Has Become Rockies' Most Valuable Trade Chip
Colorado Rockies right fielder Jake McCarthy. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jake McCarthy Has Become Rockies' Most Valuable Trade Chip

Originally posted on Colorado Rockies on SI
By Seth Dowdle  |  Last updated Jul 22, 2026 9:00 PM ET
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The Colorado Rockies need all the help they can get.

For the better part of the last two seasons, that help has been hard to come by. But this year, outfielder Jake McCarthy has unexpectedly emerged as one of the brightest spots on an otherwise bleak roster — Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman notwithstanding.

Acquired over the offseason with little fanfare, McCarthy has transformed himself into one of the Rockies' most valuable players. That's saying something for a hitter who spent five years trying to find himself with the Arizona Diamondbacks, never quite accomplishing the task.

Now, he's done exactly that in Denver.

McCarthy has been the complete package in 2026. His .307/.351/.513 slash line is comfortably the best of his career, while his 10 home runs and 56 RBIs have already established new career highs despite more than two months remaining in the season. He's been amazing, steadily producing from Opening Day until this very moment. Without McCarthy, the Rockies would be nowhere close to having the improved season they've had so far.

Which is why the trade deadline presents such an interesting dilemma.

A Difficult Decision Awaits for the Rockies' Front Office

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At 28 years old, McCarthy isn't exactly old, nor is he a rental. He remains under club control through arbitration for two more seasons, meaning whichever team acquires him would be getting more than just a two-month contributor. That type of control naturally raises his value and could entice Colorado to keep him around as part of its next competitive core.

But that's also why trading him makes so much sense.

The Rockies are years away from serious contention. By the time they're ready to consistently compete in the National League West, McCarthy could very well be on the wrong side of 30. If another organization believes this version of McCarthy is here to stay, Colorado has an opportunity to cash in while his value may never be higher.

One Important Caveat Stands in the Way

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's one wrinkle that interested teams will undoubtedly spend plenty of time analyzing before attempting to trade for McCarthy.

He's been outstanding at Coors Field, slashing .325/.358/.577 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs. Away from Denver, those numbers fall to a still-respectable .285/.342/.438 with three home runs and 19 RBIs.

That's hardly a reason to dismiss him as a trade target. Plenty of players perform better at home than on the road. The concern is that Coors Field has a long history of making hitters look a little better than they actually are, and opposing front offices will certainly wonder how much of McCarthy's breakout season has been aided by baseball's most hitter-friendly environment.

That's a fair question. It's also one the Rockies shouldn't concern themselves with too much.

Colorado's job isn't to convince itself that McCarthy will regress elsewhere. Its job is to maximize the return on one of its most valuable trade assets. Whether interested clubs ultimately believe his production is completely sustainable is up to them. The Rockies need enough teams to believe that Jake McCarthy has finally become the player he always hinted he could be.

If that happens, Colorado could walk away from the trade deadline with exactly what it needs most: hope for the future.


This article first appeared on Colorado Rockies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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