Sean Keeler: Say it ain’t so, NoJo! For all the guff we give Bill Schmidt and the Rockies front office, one of the more pleasant scout-’em-and-steal-’em scenarios in recent years has been the acquisition of outfielder/barrel-on-ball machine Nolan Jones — which felt like an outright theft from the Cleveland Guardians last season, am I right? Sadly, Rockies karma never sleeps, so naturally, the guy fouls a pitch off his right knee over the weekend. It sounds as if it’s just a serious bruise, saints be praised. But the Rockies also didn’t waste any time covering their corner outfield bases just in case — trading for another left-handed-hitting AL Central alum in ex-Twins prospect Jake Cave on Sunday. All of which got me thinking (which is dangerous, I’ll grant you): What if NoJo, who hit 20 bombs, stole 20 bases and became one of the great-under-the radar finds in baseball last summer, can’t go for any extended length of time this season? Who’s your “Plan B” projected Rockies Most Valuable Player for 2024 then?

Troy Renck: “Most valuable” remains subjective and becomes more difficult when a team stinks. But baseball is a series of solo performances in a concert. It is, in many ways, an individual sport. And no sport makes it easier to define a player through numbers. It is for this reason I land on Ezequiel Tovar as the team’s best player. For starters, he’s a steady shortstop, which provides unique value. Secondly, he boasts power and a new longterm contract. He is the future face of the franchise. And the 21-year-old should prove it this year by hitting .280 with 20 home runs and a summer of glove at Coors Field.