The Colorado Rockies are seemingly ready to prune the final branch of the extremely unsuccessful Nolan Arenado trade tree.

The Rockies placed Austin Gomber on outright waivers on Wednesday, allowing anyone to claim the left-handed starter and his $6.35 million salary. The news comes from USA Today.

Gomber is still with the Rockies and was seen in the team’s dugout on Wednesday during a game against the Dodgers. He has not been designated for assignment and remains with the Rockies through the waiver process. Outright waivers are irrevocable, so he’d change teams within the next 48 hours if another team places a claim.

Gomber was shelled by Los Angeles on Tuesday. He allowed seven earned runs across three innings, giving up two walks and two home runs while striking out just two. The rough showing is in line with the disaster year the lefty has had. He missed two and a half months battling shoulder discomfort. He rejoined the rotation in mid-June but hasn’t had a single quality start in 12 outings. The opposition has gotten him for 36 earned runs across his last 38 innings after an okay start to his return from injury.

“I just feel like I’m just a little bit lost out there right now. I don’t really feel like I have any confidence, conviction, really don’t really have, like, an identity of what I’m trying to do,” a struggling Gomber said after the game. “Just trying to figure it out. It is what it is.”

But this has been the story of Gomber since he was acquired for Arenado in 2021. He’s 28-43 in his Rockies career with a plus-5.20 ERA across 125 outings. His first season in Denver was the only one in which his ERA+ was above league average.

Not only did the Rockies trade Arenado for the pleasure of five-plus years of this lefty struggling, they attached $50 million to the deal specifically to get Gomber.

The Rockies also got Mateo Gil, Tony Locey and Jake Sommers in the deal — none of whom played for the Rockies or ever reached the majors. And there is Elehuris Montero, who is now in Japan, after being one of the worst players in baseball during his time in purple.

So not only did the Rockies trade their most talented player ever, who was beloved by fans because he was feuding with the GM for prospects that failed, a terrible hitter and a poor pitcher, they also attached $50 million to do it. Oh, and the GM quite a few weeks later, anyway. This is all already known, but Wednesday’s news means the trade and its ramifications from a player standpoint are almost over for the Rockies.

As for the ramifications of the trade on the Rockies, well, they’re about to lose 100 games for a third-straight season, and the state of Colorado has become mostly lethargic about big league baseball.

Areando’s time in St. Louis hasn’t been as successful as he liked, but it’s still hard on those in Denver who ever played a game outside of purple after signing a long-term deal to stay.

That said, it’s unlikely Gomber will be claimed because whoever does would have to pay him about $1.33 million for the rest of the season, and he has a 7.49 ERA. Which contender wants to do that?

The 31-year-old starter is a free agent this winter, and if he clears waivers, the Rockies may just release him rather than waiting for him to hit the market in two months. Though the fact that he’s still with the team may hint that he’s here for the rest of the season if he does go unclaimed this week.

As always, good job Dick Monfort and company. Gomber will somehow end up being the Dodgers’ best pitcher next summer.

Austin Gomber has a diabolically wonky pitch mix… and I absolutely love it.

There has to be a team out there that can make him an effective pitcher.

It’s insane that the KC doesn’t generate whiffs and he secretly throws a Sasaki Splitter.

Send him to the Mets & cook. https://t.co/X8n6ex9oWD pic.twitter.com/i8NoArmcVw

— Reds in Four (@RedsInFour) August 21, 2025