The Brutal Move That Proves the Rockies Lost the Nolan Arenado Trade

At 36-90, the Colorado Rockies probably won’t claim the crown for the worst season in modern MLB history but let’s be real, they’re flirting with it like it’s a hobby. Their misfortunes have been less a “rebuilding phase” and more a masterclass in self-sabotage, with the botched Nolan Arenado trade standing out as the crown jewel of incompetence. Everyone knew sending Arenado to St. Louis was a disaster for Colorado, but somehow, it has somehow aged like milk left out in the sun. The Rockies placing German Márquez on outright waivers this past Wednesday? Just the cherry on top.

The front office waited as long as humanly possible to make the move, holding out hope that some hidden gem might emerge from the Arenado trade. Spoiler: it didn’t. Márquez’s last outing against the Dodgers was a perfect encapsulation of this season a seven-run, nine-hit nightmare across three innings. Postgame, he admitted he felt utterly lost on the mound, confidence evaporated like morning fog. With a 7.49 ERA over 12 starts and 57.2 innings, it’s painfully obvious: the Rockies’ gamble didn’t pay off.

Will anyone claim him off waivers and pick up the remainder of his $6.35 million salary? Don’t hold your breath. For Rockies fans, the only option left is the emotional equivalent of a shrug: turn the page and hope the next chapter doesn’t involve another catastrophe.

The Arenado trade finally hits full-circle embarrassment mode. Colorado got five players in return five! and none made anything resembling a lasting impact. Márquez was one of only two to even touch the majors, spending chunks of five seasons rotating through the Rockies’ lineup of mediocrity, never finding a groove.

It wasn’t always this grim for Márquez, though let’s not kid ourselves “not terrible” in Colorado often looks a lot like “doomed.” Entering Tuesday’s start, he carried a career 5.23 ERA over 124 appearances and 598.2 innings in Denver. Blame the thin air at Coors Field if you must (his ERA at home: 5.22), but his road numbers hovering near 5.00 suggest he didn’t exactly reinvent himself outside the mile-high prison either.

This was always going to be his final year of team control, so parting ways now is less a revelation and more a foregone conclusion. The Rockies can now take a peek at anyone who might actually contribute beyond 2025, instead of clutching to the illusions of the past.

For Márquez, the hope is for a soft landing somewhere that doesn’t involve constant altitude-induced nosebleeds a place where he can remember what potential feels like. He’s shown flashes: in 2020 with the Cardinals, he posted a sub-2.00 ERA over 14 appearances (four starts) before stumbling into Denver’s purgatory.

For Colorado, waiving Márquez is a tiny step toward admitting defeat and turning the page on the Arenado mess. Fans can do little more than grit their teeth, laugh bitterly, and pray that someday maybe, just maybe better times lie ahead.