The Rockies’ offseason roster shuffle began Friday when versatile outfielder Jake Cave and right-handed pitchers Dakota Hudson and Peter Lambert opted for free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque. All three players were on the Rockies’ opening-day roster. Cave becoming a free agent opens the door for Sam Hilliard to compete for a roster spot in spring training as Colorado’s fourth outfielder. Hilliard slashed .239/.305/.507 with 10 homers and 27 homers in 58 games. Cave, 31, who was acquired from Philadelphia for cash considerations late in spring training, became a fan favorite because of his hustle and energetic style. He slashed .251/.290/.396 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in a career-high 123 games. Hudson, 30, who chose to come to Colorado as a free agent for 2024, struggled as a member of the rotation and was slowed by injuries later in the season. He signed for a relatively low $1.5 million but posted a 2-12 record with a 6.17 ERA over 18 starts. His 12.4% walk rate was not only above the league average but also above his 12.1% strikeout rate. Lambert split his time between Triple-A Albuquerque and the Rockies, who used him as a spot starter and a long reliever. Lambert, 27, was a second-round pick in 2015 but has struggled to regain his form after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020. He was finally healthy in 2023 but posted a 5.51 ERA over 148 2/3 big-league innings over the past two seasons. Related Articles Colorado Rockies | Three Rockies named 2024 Gold Glove finalists Colorado Rockies | Ranking Colorado Rockies’ Top 10 prospects as 2024 season comes to a close Colorado Rockies | Three decades after Colorado Silver Bullets’ inception, women’s baseball still working toward its next collective watershed moment Colorado Rockies | Rockies Journal: 106-loss Royals went bold, made playoffs. Will Colorado? Colorado Rockies | Grading The Week: Bud Black’s coming back? That’s so, so Rockies The moves leave the Rockies with 38 players on their 40-man Major League roster, not including right-handed starter German Marquez, who’s on the 60-day injured list. Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.