There’s plenty of intrigue in the Rockies’ outfield at the moment, but Charlie Blackmon’s contractual status for 2016 isn’t part of it, as Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports that the two sides have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million deal.
The deal is just a shade over the midpoint, as the first-time arbitration-eligible Blackmon requested $3.9 million and was offered $2.7 million by the Rockies when figures were exchanged earlier this month. The 29-year-old certainly earned the payday, as he followed up a breakout 2014 by batting .287/.347/.450 with 17 home runs, 58 RBI, and 43 stolen bases over 157 games last season.
The Rockies recently signed Gerardo Parra to a three-year contract and Blackmon admitted over the weekend that he was initially “a little perplexed” by the move. With Carlos Gonzalez and Corey Dickerson also in the mix, a trade could come be coming.