The Winter Meetings are right around the corner, which means the offseason is about to heat up. Not many moves get made before teams convene in Orlando, Fla., and this year is no different. There have been a few major signings, particularly involving pitching, but not many significant trades have happened.
Colorado has high expectations with Warren Schaeffer leading the on-field charge and Paul DePodesta in the front office. In fact, the team expects the rebuild to happen quicker than some might expect. With that in mind, there are a few things Colorado could do to speed up the process.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan recently released his top 25 trade candidates heading into the Winter Meetings. The Rockies did not have anyone within that top 25, but they did have an honorable mention. Veteran Kyle Freeland could be a good trade candidate for a team looking to take a flier on a starting pitcher.
Sep 2, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Rockies had a terrible season on the mound. As a team, Colorado ranked dead last in ERA, quality starts, WHIP, and FIP. Even with Coors Field being a very hard place to pitch, the Rockies underperformed in a major way.
Freeland was the team’s best starting pitcher. He made 31 starts, threw 162.2 innings, struck out 124 batters, walked 38 and finished with a 4.98 ERA. Those numbers are respectable, but they might deter some teams from trading for him.
One reason a team should trade for Freeland is his home and away splits. The 32-year-old owned a 4.37 ERA on the road over 16 starts. He threw 18.2 more innings on the road than at home, walked fewer batters and his oBA dropped by 48 points. Now, his road splits do not make him an ace, but he could be a solid starter in the middle of the rotation away from Colorado.
Sep 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Freeland’s age and recent stats lessen his value. Teams willing to take a chance on him will not want to give up too many players to acquire him. However, if a team does decide he is worth it, they will have two years of control over him. Freeland is set to become a free agent after the 2027 season.
As for what he is owed, the left-hander is the highest-paid pitcher on the Rockies. Per Spotrac, he is owed $16 million in 2026 and $17 million in 2027. Nowadays, that contract is actually not all that expensive. For reference, Freeland’s extension in 2022 gave him an AAV of $12.9 million. There are 40 starting pitchers in the MLB with a higher AAV than him.
His affordability and ability to pitch away from Colorado are what might make him a desirable trade target. We will learn more about Colorado’s rebuild during the Winter Meetings. But if a trade is to be made, Freeland is a name to watch for.