Jose Reyes trade rumors were just furthered by the former All-Star himself. Reyes wants the Colorado Rockies to trade him to a contending team before the August 31 MLB deadline. A report from CBS Sports makes it seem like Reyes is very dismayed by his current situation, and that he doesn’t want to stay in Colorado for very long. It’s hard to blame him, as the Rockies currently have a 49-72 record and are in last place in the National League West.
Reyes was traded to the Rockies as part of a deal by the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire Troy Tulowitzki. Since his arrival , Reyes has a.271 batting average, going 23-for-85 at the plate. He has seven extra base hits, seven RBIs, eight runs scored, and three stolen bases in his first 21 Rockies games. His numbers aren’t spectacular, but he is still doing the job at 32 years old. The exact quote he made certainly won’t help Rockies fans warm up to him though.
“I’m at the point in my career that I want to win. I say it over and over. I want to win. I don’t want to spend the rest of my career on a last-place team. That’s not the kind of player I feel like I am.”
There have been numerous Jose Reyes trade rumors since that deal with the Blue Jays became official, but the Rockies decided to hold on to him for the short-term. He does provide the team with a boost on offense, and it’s probably difficult to find another franchise willing to pay the full $22 million he is owed for the 2016 and 2017 MLB seasons.
It’s very likely that the front office in Colorado will immediately make Reyes available in the MLB offseason. The team simply doesn’t need him, as top prospect Trevor Story is ready to take over as the full-time shortstop. The front office won’t want to keep Story blocked in the minor leagues, but it won’t be that easy to move Reyes. It could take a sweetener in the deal or an offer to pay a large chunk of the $44 million he is still owed after this season.
While there are going to be more Jose Reyes trade rumors before this season comes to a close, the best course for the former All-Star is to do his job and do it well down the stretch. He needs to view the remaining six weeks of this season as an audition for a new team, because if he finishes 2015 in a slump, suitors might be hard to find.
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