The Major League Baseball offseason began to ramp up on Tuesday when the General Manager Meetings began in Las Vegas. 

In a way, this year's meetings serve as an inflection point as general managers from around the sport meet with the added urgency of the Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire on Dec. 1. 

Each of MLB's 30 clubs is going into the offseason with different goals in mind, and for the Colorado Rockies, who are coming off their fourth straight 100-loss season, the goal continues to be getting better and inching toward becoming a winning baseball team again. 

To do so, the Rockies are going to have to address their pitching staff. 

Following another season that produced egregious results on the mound, Colorado's front office, led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, chose to fire pitching coach Alon Leichman before bringing in Ethan Katz weeks later.

It was a step in the right direction for the Rockies, but it doesn't change the fact that just about every pitcher on staff wildly underperformed in 2026. The good news for DePodesta and his staff is that there are plenty of free-agent pitchers who will be seeking a new home for the 2027 season and beyond. 

For Colorado, it might be best to pursue an experienced, productive veteran who won't break the bank. That is why right-hander Robbie Ray should be considered.

After being with the San Francisco Giants since the 2024 season, Ray was traded to the San Diego Padres at the MLB Trade Deadline in August. 

Ray finished the season with the Padres, going 3-2 with a 5.02 ERA over the course of nine starts and 43 innings of work. By the end of the 2026 season, he had produced a 13-8 record with a 3.59 ERA over 31 appearances (30 of which were starts) and 165.2 innings of work. 

At 35 years old, Ray is on the back end of his career. But it is important to remember that he is a former Cy Young Award winner, an ERA pitching champion and a two-time All-Star. Even as he gets older, Ray remains productive. 

When digging deeper into his numbers, Ray struggled in a lot of metrics, but according to his Baseball Savant profile, his off-speed run value ranked in the 95th percentile, which is considered great, and his breaking run value (79th percentile) and pitching run value (68th percentile) were above average.

The good news for the Rockies is that Ray could come to the organization on a short-term deal that benefits Colorado's pocketbook.

According to recent projections by MLB Trade Rumors, Ray might earn a one-year, $12 million contract. One of the writers who contributed to the projections, Anthony Franco, even believes that the Rockies are the destination for Ray. 

As it stands, Colorado ranks 21st in payroll at $121.5 million. It is very likely that when a new CBA is reached, the implementation of a salary floor would compel the Rockies to spend more money. 

But even at their current payroll, Ray is an affordable option who should be considered.