Nolan Arenado signed an eight-year, $260 million contract extension with the Rockies early last spring and the news landed like a bowling ball dropping into a still pond. At that point, the free-agent season was still waiting on Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.



Eventually, all the major signings from last winter landed on teams with legitimate designs to reach the World Series, from Harper (Phillies) and Machado (Padres) to Patrick Corbin (Nationals) and A.J. Pollock (Dodgers). Their 2019 campaigns went in different directions, but nearly a year later, each of those teams remain in the hunt. Why spend if you’re not going to win?



Arenado, though, is now making $35 million a year on a team that finished 20 games below .500 last season. As much as the Rockies think and hope they can contend next season, the reality is less kind. For these reasons, among others, the trade market is now hot and heavy for the Rockies’ best player. Arenado could be an ideal...