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It has been a disappointing season for Rockies’ first baseman Michael Toglia. It reached a new low on May 31 when Toglia was sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque. In corresponding moves, the Rockies called up infielder Keston Hiura and designated infielder Aaron Schunk for assignment.
The Colorado Rockies announced the following transactions today:
– Selected the contract of INF Keston Hiura (#7) from Triple-A Albuquerque.
– Designated INF Aaron Schunk for assignment.
– Optioned INF Michael Toglia to Triple-A.The Rockies have a full 40-man roster.
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) May 31, 2025
Michael Toglia Sent Down Amid Struggling Season
Outside of stars Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar, Toglia was the most intriguing player to follow on the Rockies. He emerged last season in a big way offensively, and it appeared the Rockies had finally found their first baseman of the future. In just 116 games last season, Toglia was second on the club with 25 home runs. He was fourth with 55 RBI and second with 10 steals. The Rockies were beginning to find a nucleus to build around in Doyle, Tovar, and Toglia. Toglia was a prime candidate for a breakout this season. Instead, the season could not have gone much worse to this point.
Among the biggest concerns for Toglia this season is his major strikeout problem. Per Statcast, Toglia’s 39.1% K rate is in the bottom one percent of Major League Baseball. At one point this season, Toglia was striking out at a 48% clip. He has a 37.5% whiff rate and is squaring up baseballs just 19% of the time. His barrel rate has dropped from 17.3% last season (98th percentile) to 10.3% (60th percentile). Compounding his strikeout problem, his walk rate has gone down from 11.8% last season to 8.7%.
Toglia was the prototypical player for former hitting coach Hensley Meulens, who was let go earlier this season. Toglia will never be a hitter for average, but you overlook his strikeout rate when he’s consistently hitting home runs. Toglia was the poster boy for that style of Rockies offense that showed serious improvement in the power category in 2023-24 under Meulens. But this season, the strikeout problem reared its ugly head, and the power vanished. Resulting in a dreadful offense, costing Meulens his job.
What’s Next For Toglia and the Rockies?
This season is more in line with Toglia’s 2023 season. In his rookie year, he hit .163/.224/.284 with just four home runs in 152 plate appearances. This season, he is hitting .194/.266/.349 with just six home runs in 207 plate appearances. He is sporting a team-worst 81:18 K: BB ratio. The Rockies were left with no choice, and Toglia’s playing time waning in recent days served as a precursor to the demotion. Over the last month, Toglia went 13-81 with a K: BB ratio of 40:13.
It’s hard to overstate how devastating this is for Toglia, considering the expectations heading into this season. After his stellar second half last season, it appeared he was officially a regular for the Rockies. Now, he will have to regroup in Triple-A and not let this setback ruin his season. The Rockies are hoping that consistent at-bats with Albuquerque will help Toglia address his strikeout problem and rediscover his power.
Hiura joins a suddenly crowded Rockies’ infield. In 169 at-bats with Triple-A Albuquerque, Hiura has hit .243/.360/.467 with nine homers and 31 RBI. He joined the Rockies as a non-roster invitee in spring training. Kyle Farmer has seen increased playing time at first base recently in place of Toglia. It will be interesting to see how the Rockies utilize Hiura. Schunk was drafted in the second round of the 2019 MLB draft out of the University of Georgia. He debuted last season and appeared in 11 games this season, hitting .214/.214/.250.
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Blue Jays aren't getting enough from their $500M man
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Maple Leafs continue to play moneyball: Three big names in play
With Mitch Marner’s move to the Vegas Golden Knights closing a major chapter in Toronto, GM Brad Treliving made a series of moves to replace his production. He might not be done. Three may be even bolder moves on the horizon. We’ve heard the names Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf before. However, the Maple Leafs are actively fielding and exploring trade scenarios as they look to reshape their roster — and according to Nick Kypreos, a handful of intriguing names are emerging in trade chatter: Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, and former Leafs fan-favorite Nazem Kadri. The most surprising name still generating buzz is Rielly. Despite being a longtime cornerstone on Toronto’s blue line, his $7.5 million cap hit and no-move clause complicate matters. Yet with the team needing help up front, and possible interest in offensive defensemen like Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, Rielly could become part of a larger plan if he’s open to waiving. Also surprising is the talk surrounding Carlo. A recent addition to the Leafs’ defense corps, he is already being talked about behind the scenes as a potential trade piece. If he were made available, there is interest around the league, as the 6-foot-6 shutdown defender has a team-friendly cap hit and strong penalty-killing ability. Trading Carlo could get the Leafs a top-six forward. Finally, reports on the availability of Kadri remain conflicting. Some say he’s not available, while others suggest that the Calgary Flames would consider the idea. The former Maple Leaf would be a welcome addition back to Toronto, but there isn’t much of a reason for the Flames to trade him unless the return is outstanding. Kadri reportedly would consider waiving his no-move clause for a reunion. That said, getting a deal done won’t be easy, especially with Montreal also rumored to be on his short list. Whether any of these deals come to pass or are just pure speculation, one thing’s sure: the Maple Leafs aren’t standing still. Treliving is trying to get his roster to score more goals. He seems willing to entertain any idea and play Moneyball with the roster if it will help.
Maple Leafs are reportedly looking to make a splash trade
With the Toronto Maple Leafs losing star Mitch Marner this offseason, the team has had to fill a massive hole in the lineup. The Toronto front office has done a decent job so far, and the roster looks a little more well-rounded. But it seems that the Maple Leafs may not be done making moves this summer. According to NHL insider Nick Kypreos of SportsNet, Toronto could trade away defensemen Morgan Rielly or Brandon Carlo in an attempt to add more offense. "While we do also have Morgan Rielly on this list, if the Leafs move a defenseman it'll likely only be one of them. But while Rielly comes with the complication of a no-movement clause, Brandon Carlo has just an eight-team no-trade list and so is also worth putting on the trade board. "Making $3.485M against the cap for another two years, Carlo was a welcome addition to the Leafs' defense corps, averaging 19:13 of ice time per game and nearly two minutes on the PK. In the playoffs, he was among the team's shot-blocking leaders," Kypreos wrote. Marner accounted for 27 goals and 75 assists last season, which will be very tough for the Maple Leafs to replace. But the team does have a limited number of tradable assets to work with, which could potentially be why they are thinking of trading a defender. The Toronto front office remains very active on the trade front and it could lead to a deal taking place. There is still plenty of time left between now and the start of the regular season, giving the Maple Leafs some needed optionality before the new year.
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
The Chicago Blackhawks, a crowded goaltending situation and trade rumors involving the Edmonton Oilers have fans wondering if the Stars' rivals could soon upgrade their crease before training camp. With training camp approaching, Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson has five goalies under contract, including Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, newly signed Stanislav Berezhnoy, and veteran Laurent Brossoit. Only two NHL roster spots are available, which has fueled speculation that Brossoit could be moved to a contender, with Edmonton emerging as a leading candidate. For Stars fans, seeing the Oilers potentially bolster their crease should raise eyebrows. Edmonton, fresh off a deep playoff run, is looking to avoid the same issues that hurt them late in the postseason. "The Blackhawks have too many goalies and not enough spots, and Brossoit's contract and experience make him a natural trade chip for a team like the Oilers."-Julien Trekker Chicago's goalie logjam and Berezhnoy's recent signing are detailed further at NHL.com. Dallas could see its rival upgrade as Blackhawks explore trading Laurent Brossoit Brossoit, 32, carries a $3.3 million cap hit for one more season. Drafted by Calgary in 2011, he's appeared in 140 NHL games, including time with Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vegas, where he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. While Chicago decides, Drew Commesso continues to push for NHL time after posting a .911 save percentage over 39 AHL games. For a deeper look at Commesso's performance, his full profile is on Elite Prospects. I think if Edmonton lands Brossoit or even Commesso, Dallas may have to plan around a deeper Oilers team come playoff time, especially given how tight the Western race looks on paper.
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