The Astros rocked the American League by pulling off a mega-deal with the salary-dumping Twins to bring shortstop Carlos Correa back to Houston

The Padres showed they’re going for it in the NL West by trading with the Athletics for closer Mason Miller and starter JP Sears. The Padres also acquired first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramon Laureano from the Orioles in exchange for six players.

The Rockies? They didn’t make any blockbuster moves, but they weren’t wallflowers either. They traded veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon last Friday, veteran reliever Tyler Kinley on Wednesday, and righty reliever Jake Bird on Thursday

Following is a look at the Rockies’ dealings:

Biggest winners: McMahon and Bird, both of whom were shipped to the Yankees in exchange for four prospects. McMahon and Bird went from a team on the cusp of its third consecutive 100-loss season and possibly the most losses in baseball’s modern era, to a legitimate World Series contender.

Of course, with opportunity comes pressure. Expectations in the Bronx are exponentially higher than in LoDo.

“Hopefully, the environment is a great thing for him, that he falls into that and doesn’t have to be the guy,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of McMahon when talking to reporters last Friday. “Go do your thing. Go find the role. But it’s our job — my job, staff, coaches, players — to make sure they’re welcomed and get them as comfortable as possible.”

Biggest loser: Veteran right-hander German Marquez, who was a likely trade candidate until he went on the injured list with biceps inflammation. Multiple big-league sources said that several teams were eyeing the 30-year-old Marquez as a rental starter for the remainder of the season. Marquez, really bad early in the spring, was starting to resemble the pitcher he was in his 2021 All-Star season. He posted a 2.97 ERA over six starts in June.

Now, he won’t get a chance to show his stuff for a contender, something that could have enhanced his value when he becomes a free agent this offseason.

Most intriguing prospect: Roc Riggio, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Oklahoma State. Part of the Bird trade, along with lefty starter Ben Shields, Riggio was the Yankees’ No. 10 prospect. He’s not big — listed at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds — but he’s scrappy and has some sneaky power.

Though not a speed burner, he’s aggressive on the bases. Riggio stole 27 bases in 2024 and has nine steals so far this year.

Brendan Rodgers never became the second baseman the Rockies envisioned, and Adael Amador has shown no power and only middling skills as a big-league hitter. Perhaps Riggio, who’ll start out with Double-A Hartford, can be a long-term answer.

“He’s always been a competitor, he’s a gamer,” general manager Bill Schmidt said. “There’s a toughness to him.”

Salary dump? Several folks have written that trading McMahon was nothing more than a salary dump. The Yankees assumed the remainder of McMahon’s contract, which includes approximately $4.5 million for the rest of 2025 and $32 million over the next two seasons.

Schmidt told me that he doesn’t see the McMahon trade that way. I agree. It was time for McMahon to move on, and while the Rockies got some salary relief for the future, they also picked up a couple of decent prospects.

Now, if Colorado can find a way to reduce Kris Bryant’s annual $27 million salary through some sort of deferral arrangement, perhaps the Rockies can add an impactful, veteran hitter during the offseason.

Not enough in return: Colorado fielded offers on late-game relievers Seth Halvorsen and Victor Vodnik, as well as two-time Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle. The Rockies’ asking price was high, as it should have been. The Rockies think Halvorsen and Vodnik, both under team control at pre-arbitration salaries, have significant upside.

The Rockies also know that Doyle is the sort of gifted outfielder they need in center field and are hopeful he can emerge from his slump at the plate.

The Rockies also hope that strikeout-prone first baseman Michael Toglia will finally prove he can consistently hit big-league pitching. If not, he would very well be on the trade block in the offseason.

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The Rockies traded two proven veterans, third baseman Ryan McMahon and workhorse right-hander reliever Jake Bird, in exchange for four Yankees prospects.

Before Thursday’s trade deadline closed, Colorado traded Bird to the Bronx for second baseman Roc Riggio and left-hander Ben Shields. Riggio was the Yankees’ No. 10 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and Shields was their No. 29 prospect.

Last Friday, the Yankees sent pitching prospects Griffin Herring (No. 8) and Josh Grosz (No. 21) to Colorado in exchange for McMahon.

“By trading McMahon and Bird, we ended up with four of the Yankees’ top 30 prospects,” general manager Bill Schmidt said Thursday. “We acquired young guys to build on. They are, hopefully, relatively close. They’re not three or four years away.”

Riggio has been playing at Double-A Somerset and has slashed .264/.370/.567 with 27 doubles, five triples, and 11 home runs at High-A and Double-A this season. A fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft, the left-handed hitting 23-year-old should give the Rockies some needed depth in their farm system.

“Regarding Roc, I’ll just say that he’s a baseball player,” Schmidt said. “He’s a good second baseman and he’s a grinder. He’s having a good season in the Eastern League. He’s a gamer, and though he’s not big (listed at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds), he’s got some power.”

Schmidt said that Riggio gives the team some depth and competition at second base, where Colorado also has switch-hitting Adael Amador, who has had two stints with the big-league club.

Shields pitched at four minor league levels this season and is 1-2 with a 3.03 ERA over nine starts with 42 strikeouts vs. just 14 walks. In five starts at Double-A (23 2/3 innings), the 26-year-old was 1-2 with a 3.37 ERA, 26 strikeouts and 10 walks. The 6-foot-4 Shields is considered a diamond in the rough. He was an undrafted free agent in 2024 despite leading the Atlantic 10 Conference in strikeouts at George Mason.

The Rockies will groom him to be a starter at Double-A Hartford, though he could eventually become a reliever in the majors.

“Shields is an older guy, but he’s got a good arm, a fresh arm,” Schmidt said. “It’s a low-to-mid-90s fastball, with a slider. There’s pitchability there. We’ll start him out as a starter, but if he ends up moving to the bullpen, his fastball would probably (improve) to the mid-90s or higher.”

Bird, a 29-year-old workhorse middle reliever, has been Colorado’s best pitcher for much of the season. There was even talk that he might be a dark-horse candidate for the All-Star Game. Over 45 games (53 1/3 innings), Bird is 4-1 with a 4.73 ERA, a 1.481 WHIP, 62 strikeouts and 23 walks. Before the All-Star break, he was 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA, but a few rough innings in July inflated his ERA.

“Jake’s done a good job for us here, filling a variety of roles,” Schmidt said. “We appreciate everything he did for us.”

Trading for Bird won’t cost the Yankees much financially. He’s in his final pre-arbitration season and controllable for three years after this season. However, the McMahon trade gives the Rockies some salary relief for the next two years. The Yankees assumed the remainder of McMahon’s contract, which includes approximately $4.5 million for the rest of 2025 and $32 million over the next two seasons.

But Schmidt insisted that trading McMahon was not about jettisoning salary.

“We really like Herring,” Schmidt said. “We think he has a chance to be a starter. He’s in High-A, and next year we think he has a chance to be in Double-A. And Grosz is another good arm. We didn’t look at it like (a salary dump).”

On Wednesday, Colorado traded right-handed Tyler Kinley to the Braves for right-handed pitching prospect Austin Smith. Smith, 26, is 0-4 with a 4.31 ERA, four saves, 15 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 29 relief outings between High-A Rome and Double-A Columbus this season.

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In return, the Rockies receive right-handed pitching prospect Austin Smith.

Smith, 26, is 0-4 with a 4.31 ERA, four saves, 15 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 29 relief outings between High-A Rome and Double-A Columbus this season.

“He’s a Double-A righty with arm strength,”  general manager Bill Schmidt said. “His fastball’s been up to 99 mph. His slider has shown swing-and-miss potential.”

Smith missed nearly all of the 2023 and ’24 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. He pitched 26 innings last year across three minor league levels, posting a 6.92 ERA.

A native of Cedar Park, Texas, Smith was selected by Atlanta in the 18th round of the 2021 draft. In five seasons with the Braves organization, he was 3-10 with a 5.10 ERA with 18 saves, 63 walks, and 131 strikeouts over 107 games. He pitched three seasons for Southwestern University (Texas) before transferring to the University of Arizona.

Kinley is making $3 million in the final year of his contract, but has a $5 million club option for 2026, which gives the Braves possible bullpen depth next season.

Kinley has pitched well for the last six weeks, posting a 2.37 ERA with a 31.1% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate in 19 innings.

The major league trade deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday.

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As next Thursday’s trade deadline nears, the Rockies will be fielding calls about Moniak, if they haven’t already. The club must decide if the outfielder is integral to their rebuilding blueprint or if they’d be better off dealing him for prospects and/or pitching.

It won’t be an easy decision.

The Rockies are hoping several young outfielders, led by Zac Veen, Yanquiel Fernandez and Benny Montgomery, will eventually blossom. But what if the 27-year-old Moniak is already in full bloom? What if he’s part of the solution to the Rockies’ multi-layered problems?

He’s certainly affordable.

Just before this season began, the Rockies signed Moniak for $1.25 million. He’s under control for two more seasons, but he’s arbitration-eligible, so he’d cost more than the outfielders mentioned above. Moniak’s deal with Colorado came after he was released by the Angels, despite Moniak winning his arbitration case and being awarded a $2 million salary. He received termination pay from the Angels worth $484,000.

If teams come calling, the Rockies must consider the roller-coaster track record of a player whom the Phillies selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft out of La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, Calif.

With the Angels last season, Moniak hit .219 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs. But in 2023, he batted .280 with 14 home runs, 45 RBIs, 21 doubles and two triples in just 85 games.

In August 2022, the Angels acquired Moniak and outfielder Jadiel Sanchez from the Phillies in exchange for right-hander Noah Syndergaard. In 2021, Moniak was optioned and recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia six times.

Roller-coaster ride, indeed.

But the affable Moniak just might have found baseball heaven at the foot of the Rockies.

“Everyone likes to talk about the altitude and the ball carrying a little bit, but the biggest thing here is there’s a lot of room to get your hits,” Moniak said, adding that he loves Denver. “It plays to my strengths and what I’ve done my whole (career), trying to hit line drives to the gaps, and use my speed for doubles and maybe triples. Historically, Coors Field is a great place to hit, and I’m enjoying this.”

There’s a lot to love about the outfielder. He hustles, plays with abandon and has surprising power. Witness his 450-foot home run to right field off St. Louis right-hander Erick Fedde on Tuesday night. It was Moniak’s 15th homer this season, a career high.

During Colorado’s season of historic failure, the outfielder has been a shooting star.

“He’s a baseball player,” said interim manager Warren Schaeffer, handing out one of his highest compliments. “He’s right in the middle of the action with the guys. He’s one of our leaders.”

Entering the weekend series at Baltimore, Moniak was slashing .423/.464/.769 (1.233 OPS) with four homers and 12 RBIs in 15 games in July. The Rockies have consistently come up empty in the clutch this season, hitting .228 with runners in scoring position. But Moniak’s RISP average is .367.

He’s primarily a right fielder, but he can play center, too.

“I love playing here at Coors,” he said. “I like the room to run and even when I’m in right field, it’s so big, it feels like I’m playing center. I think it’s fun.”

Schaeffer has studied how Moniak plays defense. He likes what he sees.

“Mickey, for me, has really good first-step quickness off the ball,” Schaeffer said. “Probably better than (Brenton) Doyle (a two-time Gold Glove winner). But Doyle has all of that makeup speed and the ability to do special things out there.

“But Mickey takes good routes, and his body’s in the right position. You can tell he’s been doing it for a while at a high level.”

Schaeffer loves Moniak’s game, but it’s general manager Bill Schmidt’s front office that will have to make decisions if suitors come calling. Moniak is trying to tune out the noise.

“I don’t have Twitter on my phone, I don’t have Instagram,” he said. “Just be where my feet are and kind of enjoy the moment. This season has flown by, as they all do. Who knows how long any of us can play this game? So I just try to control what I can control.

“I definitely want to be a Rockie for as long as possible, but if I were to get traded, I’m just grateful to be playing. So whether I’m playing here or somewhere else after the deadline, I’m just grateful.”

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Colorado blanked the Cardinals, 6-0, on Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field in the team’s first shutout since May 15, 2024, when the Rockies beat the Padres, 8-0, in San Diego. The 220-game drought was the longest of baseball’s modern era, supplanting a 199-game run without a shutout by the St. Louis Browns in 1939.

Wednesday also marked Colorado’s first shutout at home since July 30, 2023, vs. Oakland in a 2-0 victory.

Starter Tanner Gordon, called up from Triple-A Albuquerque, pitched six scoreless innings, and relievers Jimmy Herget and Tyler Kinley finished the job.

“That’s a long time, 220 games,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said after Colorado improved to 4-2 since the All-Star break. “But I’m glad we shut them out today.”

And those weren’t your father’s Blake Street Bombers at the plate. More like your grandfather’s “Go Go Rox.”

Whatever the moniker, the Rockies (26-76) played the brand of baseball that Schaeffer has been preaching for two-plus months. In beating the Cardinals to capture the three-game series, the Rockies had 12 hits, all of them singles save for Jordan Beck’s RBI double in the fifth and Ezequiel Tovar’s solo homer to right in the eighth.

Colorado won just its fourth series of the season and won its first rubber game after going 0 for 4 entering Wednesday.

Gordon, called up as right-hander German Marquez (biceps tendinitis) went on the 15-day injured list, was not overpowering. But he kept St. Louis hitters off-balance, limiting them to just four hits. He struck out three, walked three and threw 65 of 95 pitches for strikes. After four big-league starts this season, Gordon is 2-2 with a 3.13 ERA.

He had two walks in the first inning, something he attributed to big-league adrenaline.

“I kind of settled in and played the game like I know how to play,” Gordon said. “Obviously, everyone wants to stay up here, so I was going through my routine in Triple-A, kind of treating it like the big leagues.”

Schaeffer was impressed.

“Gordon did a fantastic job through six innings,” Schaeffer said. “He had a good mix — changeup, slider, fastball.”

Colorado scored four runs in the second inning off St. Louis right-hander Andre Pallante. A leadoff walk by Ryan McMahon was followed up by five consecutive singles by Austin Nola, Kyle Farmer, Adael Amador, Tyler Freeman and Mickey Moniak.

After a day off on Thursday, the Rockies open a six-game road trip at Baltimore on Friday. Schaeffer wants to see his team continue stringing at-bats together away from Coors Field.

“I think that always plays in every ballpark,” he said.

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Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

With the trade deadline coming up (on July 31), do you think the Rockies will do anything? Ryan McMahon, German Marquez and Mickey Moniak seem like guys we can sell for some prospects, but there’s a feeling in my gut that says (general manager) Bill Schmidt is just going to sit on his hands again.

— Mark, Arvada

Mark, despite all the trade rumors that swirl this time of year, much of the media chatter never translates into action. That’s certainly been true of the Rockies over the years. However, I do think this year is different because the Rockies have hit rock bottom and are not close to turning the corner. I think several trades might occur, including possible combinations of players being thrown together in deals.

McMahon is definitely on the table again, with the Yankees and Mariners among teams interested. I thought Marquez was a solid trade candidate, especially when he started pitching so well in June. However, he now has an inflamed biceps tendon and will likely go on the 15-day injured list. That will affect his trade value.

Several teams, led by the Phillies, are looking for bullpen help. In Seth Halvorsen, Victor Vodnik and Greg Bird, the Rockies have some good, controllable young arms. We’ll see if teams ask about them and if the Rockies respond.

We have two questions revolving around first baseman Michael Toglia.

How do Charlie Condon, Kyle Karros and now Ethan Holliday profile on the major league roster? Michael Toglia’s bat doesn’t seem to make him a long-term answer. Which of the kids moves to first base? Which one gets to Denver first?

— David M., Frisco, Texas

How much longer will the Rockies put up with the poor performance of Michael Toglia? Doesn’t seem like the Triple-A reboot helped much.

— Jason, Visilia

I’ll begin with David’s question. Things often change, but as it stands now, Karros profiles as a third baseman and the possible heir to Ryan McMahon if McMahon is traded. Condon looks like a first baseman/designated hitter in the majors.

It’s too early to tell where Holliday profiles. He considers himself a shortstop, but he could muscle up to 230 pounds as he gets older, so third base, first base or right field look more likely. So, down the road, the Rockies can look at both Condon and Holliday at first base if Toglia continues to struggle.

The first one to make his big-league debut? It’s Karros, perhaps as soon as this season. Holliday, just 18 years old, is a long way off.

Regarding Jason’s question about Toglia’s struggles, there is no question that the Rockies are frustrated with him and have been for some time. As I write this, Toglia is slashing .199/.269/.364 with 10 homers and a 38.3% strikeout rate. The Rockies could put up with all of the Ks if Toglia were hitting homers and driving in runs consistently. But he’s not. His home run rate is 3.2%, a step down from his 5.5% rate from last season. He’s hitting .175 with runners in scoring position.

Toglia’s demotion to Albuquerque for a Triple-A tuneup didn’t help very much.

“I think he’s taken a little step back, in terms of seeing the progression from that,” manager Warren Schaeffer said on Monday. “I don’t think it’s a physical adjustment. I think it’s more mental right now, powering through what he needs to power through on a daily basis to provide us with consistent at-bats. He’s working through that with the hitting coaches. He’s trying to get everyday progress.”

Asked if there are holes in Toglia’s long swing that are exploited at the big-league level, Schaeffer answered: “I think that’s always fair because this is the best league. Obviously, you are going to have better at-bats and better results in a lesser league — at Triple-A.

“Mike has had a high strikeout rate for a long time. That’s just part of who he is as a player. He also has power and can drive in runs, and that can go hand in hand. But I think swing and miss is absolutely exploited more at this level.”

Hi Patrick, thank you for your continuing coverage in a very lost season. As we continue to try to turn a corner and avoid the worst season in majors since, well, last year with the White Sox, I wonder about the contract with Kris Bryant.

I think that most people agree — with the exception of Kris himself, and I can’t blame him for not giving up — that his career is most likely over. This is sad for all involved. So, in thinking about his contract, I wonder what is a possible solution? I know the money is guaranteed and the Rockies will have to pay him. But are there options? Do the Rockies have an insurance policy on him where they would recoup some money? If he retires, does he get paid? Is it possible to restructure his contract (both sides would have to agree, of course) to spread the burden over more years? Does extending the burden even make sense? In your opinion, is there anything that can or should be done? Thanks. 

— Joe, Highlands Ranch

Joe, I’ll start by saying that I don’t think Bryant will return this season. Several people on the Rockies’ staff have confirmed that. He’s not making any significant progress rehabbing his chronic lower-back condition, at least not enough to play big-league baseball.

I have asked multiple people, including some agents, about the Rockies’ options. They don’t have many. If a doctor or doctors determined that Bryant can no longer play, the Rockies might get some contract relief in terms of a “workman’s compensation.” Or, perhaps, the Rockies could negotiate with Bryant and his agent, Scott Boras, to work out some sort of buyout. That’s unlikely.

Bryant, 33, could retire, but would only do so if he and the Rockies reached a payment agreement. That’s what happened with former Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who retired in April 2024. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Strasburg, who has not pitched since June 9, 2022, still received the remaining $105 million he was owed from his original seven-year, $245 million contract.

According to Nightengale, the original contract was heavily deferred ($11.4 million annually), with Strasburg scheduled to receive $26.5 million in 2027, 2028, and 2029. As part of his retirement deal, Strasburg’s contract was restructured to increase the deferrals further.

Bryant, officially diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disc disease, is in the fourth year of his seven-year, $182 million contract. He’s owed $27 million annually from 2026 to 2028.

Can you explain MLB’s anti-tanking rule and why, even if the Rockies have the worst record in the modern era, they’ll only get the 10th pick?

— Mike Kruger, Denver

Mike, it’s pretty simple. When the draft lottery was introduced in 2022, Major League Baseball implemented a rule aimed at preventing teams from intentionally losing games to improve their draft position.

Here’s how it works:

• Large-market teams, defined as teams that do not receive revenue sharing, are prohibited from receiving a selection in the lottery in consecutive years. The 2024 White Sox fell into this group.

• Small-market teams — revenue sharing recipients, like the Rockies — are prohibited from receiving a selection in the lottery in three consecutive years. That’s why the Rockies are ineligible to participate in the lottery at this year’s winter meetings and can pick no higher than 10th in the 2026 draft.

Hartford seems to be the only team in the entire organization that’s winning and winning with a plan and process in place. It seems like something that could translate well to the big-league level, especially with a lot of those same young guys either on the big-league team as we speak, or quickly on their way. I know ownership seems to like Warren Schaeffer, but is there any chance they make a call to (manager) Bobby Meacham at the end of the year to helm the ship moving forward? Seems like having a guy with 40 years or so in pro ball would be helpful to steer the young talent, especially with him being so familiar with the young talent and more importantly, he’s won a lot of games with them!

— Gary Breeze, Castle Pines

Gary, there is no question that the Rockies have a lot of talent at Double-A Hartford, and that’s a good thing. Often, the best players get a big chunk of their minor-league maturation at Double-A and then make a pit stop at Triple-A. However, the jump from Double-A to Triple-A to the majors can be huge. Look at what’s happened this season to outfielder Zac Veen and pitcher Chase Dollander.

Regarding Meaham, I’ve heard great things about his skills as a manager, but it’s unlikely he will get promoted to the Rockies, especially if they hire a new general manager.

Have you gotten a clearer picture of the potential front office changes? You had reported big change seemed likely right before Greg Feasel announced he would be stepping away, but is that potentially the most significant change we get? As you’ve coined before, the Rockies need a president of baseball ops at the very least.

— Tyler P., Denver

Tyler, great question. I expect, as do many others, that general manager Bill Schmidt’s days are numbered. I also believe that the Rockies will hire a GM from outside the organization, but I don’t know when. I’m not sure if the Rockies’ reorganization of their front office will include a president of baseball operations. I also don’t know if Walker Monfort, the new executive vice president, will play a significant role on the baseball side or be primarily involved with the business side.

I wish I could tell you more.

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A 3-for-4 night at the plate helped, too, as the Rockies cruised past the Cardinals for an 8-4 victory. The Rockies are 3-2 since the All-Star break.

Doyle’s spectacular catch saved a run in the third. St. Louis center fielder Victor Scott II drew a one-out walk and was sailing for home after Brendan Donovan crushed a ball to right-center. A double, or possibly a triple, looked to be in play, except that Doyle sprinted across the outfield, made a perfectly-timed diving catch, and then threw to first to easily double up Scott to end the inning.

“I got a pretty good read off the bat on it and knew I was going to be aggressive,” Doyle said. “It was fun.”

Manager Warren Schaeffer called Doyle’s catch the turning point of the game.

“It really could have gone either way at that point,” he said. “Momentum is huge in this game, and you get a big-time defender like that out there, doing his thing … It was an absolutely incredible play. Fantastic.”

It was the best catch of the season for Doyle, the two-time Gold Glove winner. He got off the turf flashing a 100-watt grin. Doyle’s catch gave rookie right-hander Bradley Blalock some breathing room.

So what sparked Doyle’s smile, the fun of the catch or the importance of the moment?

“A little bit of both,” he said. “I knew it was a big momentum-builder, for sure. And I was just enjoying it.”

Right fielder Mickey Moniak, who put the Rockies on the board with a solo homer in the first inning, had the best view in the ballpark of Doyle’s catch.

“B.D. is a two-time Gold Glover for a reason, and he’s one of the best, if not the best center fielders in the game,” Moniak said. “I had an unbelievable view of the play and I guess my whole thought process was, ‘Get out of the way and let him do his job.’ ”

Growth for a young pitcher is signified by his ability to keep the wheels from falling off. Blalock did that against the Cardinals. The rookie right-hander gave up two runs in the fourth, but it could have been a lot worse. The Cardinals rapped out three hits, but Blalock induced three groundball outs to escape major trouble.

Blalock didn’t record a single strikeout, and he gave up eight hits, but he only walked one over his 5 1/3 innings and never looked frazzled on the way to the second victory of his career.

“It builds up my confidence,” he said. “I just have to come in every day and keep working. There is always something to work on.”

Colorado’s offense, dormant so often at Coors Field this season, produced runs in four of the first five innings. Moniak stayed sizzling hot. His monstrous, 450-foot solo homer to right field off struggling St. Louis right-hander Erick Fedde was his 15th home run of the season, a new career-high.

Moniak has hit safely in each of his last 10 home games, going 18-for-36 (.500) with four doubles, one triple, four home runs and nine RBIs over that span. He’s slashing .367/.421/.786 since June 1, leading the majors in batting, slugging and OPS over that span.

In the second inning, second baseman Adael Amador (2 for 3) drove in Ryan McMahon and Doyle with a two-run double to right.

McMahon’s three-run, opposite-field homer to left off Fedde gave Colorado a 6-0 lead in the third. McMahon, the subject of persistent trade rumors, has hit four home runs in his last eight games. His 16 home runs are the second-most on the club behind All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman’s 18.

The Rockies (25-76) will try to clinch their fourth series win of the season on Wednesday afternoon against St. Louis.

Stillwater High School (Okla.) shortstop Ethan Holliday, the fourth overall pick in this month’s MLB draft, signed with the Rockies for $9 million on Tuesday, according to MLB Pipeline. Holliday’s signing bonus is a record for a high school player, surpassing shortstop Eli Willits, whom the Nationals signed to an $8.2 million bonus after picking him first overall this year.

Holliday is scheduled to begin playing soon in the Arizona Complex League.

Holliday’s older brother, Jackson, now the starting second baseman for the Orioles, signed with Baltimore for a then-record $8.19 million after he was taken first overall in 2022.

Ethan, 18, was MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect in the draft. His father, Matt, a seven-time All-Star with the Rockies and Cardinals, also went to Stillwater High. So did Jackson.

Last summer, Colorado signed outfielder/first baseman Charlie Condon to a $9.25 million signing bonus. Condon, out of the University of Georgia, was the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Condon is now playing first base for Double-A Hartford.

Marquez injury update. There’s good news and bad news for right-handed starter German Marquez.

The good: An MRI showed tendinitis of his right biceps tendon but no structural damage to his shoulder.

The bad: Marquez will miss his next scheduled start and is almost certainly headed to the 15-day injured list. The timing is bad because Marquez, who will become a free agent at the end of this season, is a prime trade candidate as the July 31 deadline nears.

Marquez, who missed nearly all of the 2023 and ’24 seasons because of an elbow injury/surgery, said he was relieved by the diagnosis. He pitched Sunday against Minnesota and lasted only three innings. Clearly out of sync, he walked four, including three leadoff walks.

“I’ve never had a shoulder injury,” he said, admitting that the injury worried him. “That wasn’t me (on Sunday). I was throwing 91-92 (mph). I was grinding.”

Marquez said there is nothing he can do about a potential trade.

“I can control what I can control,” Marquez said. “I just need to get hold of this and keep pitching.”

Marquez does not have a timetable for his return, but he began taking anti-inflammatory medication on Monday, and he said it’s helped ease his discomfort.

Marquez’s season started rough as he struggled with pitch command. He had an 8.78 ERA through May 17. But over his last 11 starts, he’s posted a 3.55 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 19 walks.

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The Cardinals, aggressive on the bases, productive in the clutch, and solid on the mound, cruised to a 6-2 win at Coors Field. They drilled Colorado pitching for 15 hits and were 7 for 18 with runners in scoring position.

The Rockies were limited to eight hits and were 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

Colorado reached the season’s century mark with a 24-76 record, becoming the first team since the 1935 Boston Braves (25-75) to lose at least 75 of their first 100 decisions.

St. Louis right-hander Michael McGreevy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis for Monday’s start. Pitching for just the second time at Coors, he didn’t overpower the Rockies, striking out just one. And although he gave up seven hits over a season-high seven innings, he walked none and never let the game spin out of control.

“You have to tip your hat to him, I thought he pitched really well,” Schaeffer said. “He changed speeds, he worked in and out.”

Rockies lefty Austin Gomber wasn’t nearly as effective, giving up five runs on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out a season-high six and walked none. His ERA sits at 6.03 after seven starts. At Coors Field, his ERA is 7.52.

“I thought I had really good stuff, probably the best stuff I’ve had all year,” Gomber said. “My breaking ball had good break, but I was just throwing the wrong pitch at the wrong time, too many times. It’s kind of the story of what I feel like I’ve been doing all year. Just getting beat in spots with a pitch I probably shouldn’t throw.”

Colorado took a short-lived 2-0 lead in the third. Second baseman Adael Amador, playing for the injured Thairo Estrada, led off with a single to left. Mickey Moniak followed with a single to center fielder Victor Scott II, who booted the ball for an error, allowing Amador to score and Moniak to take second. Hunter Goodman drove in Moniak with a single.

Moniak hit 2 for 4 and extended his on-base streak to 14 games, the second-longest streak of his career. He’s slashing .435/.469/.783 during the streak.

But after the third inning, the Rockies’ offense went dry.

St. Louis tied the game in the fourth. Wilson Contreras’ 443-foot leadoff homer off Gomber started it off. Back-to-back doubles by Nolan Arenado and Masyn Winn made it a 2-2 ballgame. Arenado, the former Rockies star, was 2 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout.

St. Louis took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a one-out double by Brendan Donovan and a first-pitch RBI single by Contreras. With first base open, Gomber said he should have walked Contreras.

The Cardinals nickled and dimed Gomber for two more runs in the sixth, extending the lead to 5-2. Arenado led off with a sharp single to left and then, unexpectedly, stole second. Jordan Walker beat an infield roller to third baseman Ryan McMahon, moving Arenado to third. Pedro Pages’ lazy single to right field scored Arenado. Donovan’s sacrifice fly to center scored Walker.

The Cardinals’ lead grew to 6-2 in the seventh on Walker’s RBI, bases-loaded single off reliever Juan Mejia.

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What if the Rockies had made some dramatic moves to improve the club at the 2018 trade deadline?

What if the club had re-signed All-Star second baseman DJ LeMahieu — considered the toughest player on the team — instead of letting him walk away at the end of the season, only to see him become a star with the Yankees?

What if the Rockies’ front office and owner Dick Monfort had improved the core of that 2018 team that won 91 games before losing the National League West title to the Dodgers in Game 163?

“Oh yeah, I think about it,” Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado said Monday night before playing the Rockies at Coors Field. “I mean, we’ve talked about it. I’ve talked to DJ about it and (Trevor) Story about it.”

Arenado, 34, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, is on the back end of his career. He entered Monday’s game slashing .241/.299/.381 with 10 homers and 42 RBIs.

After signing an eight-year, $260 million contract in February 2019, Arenado was traded from the Rockies to the Cardinals in February 2021 in one of the most infamous trades in Colorado sports history.

But in 2018, the Rockies had a “special” team. Arenado’s words. Colorado fans thought so, too. More than 3 million watched baseball at Coors Field.

Arenado was nearing the peak of his powers, slashing .297/.374/.561 with an NL-high 38 homers and 110 RBIs. Of all of the “what could have beens,” it’s Colorado’s failure to go all out at the trade deadline in 2018 that sticks with him.

“I think we were more disappointed with the lack of deadline moves at the time,” he said. “If we had just gotten over the edge to win that division.”

Arenado paused for a moment, then added, “I think about some games that season that we didn’t win, and I think, ‘My gosh, we blew that game.’ Or, ‘We didn’t score enough runs.’ If we had added just a little bit more, we would have won the division. That’s what I believe.”

The Rockies lost Game 163, 5-2, at Los Angeles. They beat the Cubs, 2-1, in 13 innings in the NL wild-card game at Wrigley Field, but then got swept in three games by Milwaukee in the divisional round. It’s been downhill ever since, with Colorado closing in on seven consecutive losing seasons and now headed toward a third consecutive 100-loss season.

But the ’18 Rockies were loaded, especially in the infield with Ian Desmond (22 homers, .729 OPS) at first, Gold Glove winner LeMahieu at second (15 homers, .749 OPS), and Story, the Silver Slugger winner, at shortstop (37 homers, .914 OPS).

In the outfield, the Rockies had Charlie Blackmon (29 homers, .860 OPS) and Carlos Gonzalez (16 homers, .796 OPS), as well as veteran Gerardo Parra (six homers, .714 OPS). Parra, along with CarGo, brought some levity to an otherwise all-business clubhouse.

Lefty Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA) and right-hander German Marquez (14-11, 3.77 ERA) anchored a strong rotation. Freeland and Marquez, along with right-hander Antonio Senzatela and third baseman Ryan McMahon (a role player in 2018), are the only players remaining from that team.

Does Freeland ever look back?

“Absolutely,” he said. “I feel like every organization can look at players that were dealt away or not re-signed in free agency. I mean, what if we did have DJ at second, Story at short and Nolan at third for a longer, extended period of time?

“There are so many ‘what ifs,’ but it always comes down to the fact that this is a business. Guys want to test free agency, and they want new contracts. And you have to ask, ‘Do they want to be here?’ ”

How good was that 2018 team?

“It was very good,” Freeland said. “You look at that core of veterans who moved on and what they have done in the game, and you do wonder, ‘What could have been?’ ”

Arenado said that the camaraderie on Colorado’s last playoff team was “special.” The work ethic was “exceptional.”

In his opinion, the game has changed.

“I think what I’m seeing now, compared to that group, was that that group was super excited to come to the field every day and get to work,” he said. “I felt like everybody was chasing being great — individually.

“We weren’t that good, we were pretty good, we weren’t great. But it was a totally different vibe from what I see now from players, compared to those players (in ’18). The guys got to the field at 12:45 every day. Guys were excited to get to the field early, and we stayed late all of the time. Now, it’s just different.”

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