The Colorado Rockies had no comment Tuesday on tension surrounding All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, as the team’s pitchers and catchers reported to spring training at Scottsdale, Ariz.
It is a far cry from one year ago when the Rockies signed Arenado to an eight-year, $260 million contract extension during spring training and the seven-time Gold Glove winner was brought to tears of joy in his subsequent press conference.
Now, Arenado is saying he would prefer to be elsewhere. At issue is that Arenado believed he would be the centerpiece of a team that would fortify its roster, but the Rockies were largely inactive in that department during the offseason.
“There’s a lot of disrespect from people there that I don’t want to be a part of it,” Arenado said last month, according to mlb.com, after general manager Jeff Bridich admitted to listening to trade offers for the face of the franchise.
Asked about it Tuesday, Bridich preferred to change the subject.
“Nothing. There is no comment,” Bridich told reporters Tuesday. “I haven’t had any comment to this point, so we’ll move past that. Next question.”
Arenado, 28, is a five-time All-Star, who is a career .295 hitter with 227 home runs and 734 RBIs. He led the NL in home runs in 2018 with 38 and tied for the lead two other times — 42 in 2015 and 41 in 2016.
In other Rockies news on report day, right-hander Tim Melville will miss up to two months with a rib injury, while infielder Brendan Rodgers will be out at least until May after right shoulder surgery. The team also had its arbitration heading with catcher Tony Wolters on Monday, with the team filing at $1.9 million, while Wolters requested $2.475 million.