Shortly after Colorado Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich declared that the team was no longer listening to trade rumors for Nolan Arenado, the third baseman publicly addressed his displeasure with the club.
“There’s a lot of disrespect from people there that I don’t want to be a part of,” Arenado said in a text to MLB.com. “You can quote that.”
Although Arenado wouldn’t “get into the details” about what he found disrespectful, he did specify that he was “not mad at the trade rumors.”
“There’s more to it,” he went on to say.
Nolan Arenado Feels “Disrespected” by Colorado Rockies
Arenado’s Frustration
This “disrespect” is believed to be centered on the Rockies’ inaction after signing Arenado to an eight-year, $260 million contract extension last February. As a consequence, Arenado has expressed disgruntlement with Colorado’s offseason approach. And just last September, Arenado told The Athletic that the organization’s current state “feels like a rebuild.”
It appears that the inability to spend money to improve after a 71-91 season, the recent trade rumors, and “multiple issues” over the last several months have all played a part in Arenado’s discontentment with Bridich and the Rockies front office.
“Jeff is very disrespectful. I never talk trash or anything,” Arenado texted to Denver7. “I play hard, keep my mouth shut. But I can only get crossed so many times.”
It should be noted that the Rockies payroll exceeds $170 million, which is second in the NL West behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Also, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Rockies are “puzzled by Arenado’s questioning of its leadership and future so soon after he agreed to an extension.”
Outlook
Even though Arenado has voiced his displeasure with Bridich and the Rockies organization, all signs point to him starting in Colorado next season. The superstar third baseman has $234 million remaining on his contract over the next seven years. He also has leverage on where he wants to play, with a full no-trade clause and an opt-out clause after the 2021 season. Even with his hefty contract and substantial leverage, Colorado’s demands in trade talks have been “excessive,” according to Passan. Consequently, “no deal has come close to being finalized.”
But if Arenado’s relationship with Bridich continues to worsen, the Rockies may be forced to deal him — and for less than they had hoped.
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