Chris Armas and his Colorado Rapids have washed away the bad taste of last season’s last-place finish. This year’s flavor could very well be home-field advantage in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
With the All-Star break in the rear-view mirror and Leagues Cup right around the corner, it’s as good a time as any forThe Denver Post tograde each player’s performance so far this season.
The grades are based on a few factors, including performance vs. preseason expectations and a player’s performance in comparison to the rest of the league at their position. Vibes weigh in whenever necessary.
To be given a grade, a player must have appeared in seven matches (a little more than a quarter of the schedule so far) and must still be on the roster (sorry, Lamine Diack).
Spoiler alert: If this was a college class, everyone passed. That said, I very deeply regret not giving your favorite player a higher grade.
Djordje Mihailovic: A+
Putting a limit on myself to only one A+ on the Rapids, it has to be Mihailovic.
A club-record signing at the time he became a Rapid, the midfielder arrived with great expectations, especially having been a dog at CF Montréal in 2022. It took a while but has lived up to them.
With 10 goals and nine assists through 21 matches, he’s cemented himself as the best player on the Rapids and one of the best in recent memory.
His next assist will make him the first Rapid with double figures in goals and assists since Mark Chung in 2002 (the year I was born!). He’s the second active Rapid to be named to the Olympic team. He recorded the team’s first hat trick since 2022. And he’s a great fit for Armas’ pressing system. What else could you want?
Cole Bassett: A
Bassett is a worthy A+ candidate on this Rapids team. But there could only be one.
The talent in the midfield is deep on this roster, which has forced Bassett to play more of a defensive role than he prefers. But that has paid dividends for the Rapids.
He has been in the league’s top three in distance covered for basically the entire season. At his position, he ranks in the top 3% in goals (nine), xG (6.05), shots on target (21) and assists (six).
But what puts him at the top is the way he’s responded to adversity. “Be better, not bitter,” he said after being left off the Olympic roster, and he has. In four games since that news, he’s amassed six goal contributions, including three to bring the Rocky Mountain Cup back to Colorado against Real Salt Lake.
Rafael Navarro: A-
Talk about a resurgence. Navarro was an exciting prospect from Brazil coming to Colorado on loan around this time last season. A proven goal poacher in the Brazilian Serie B, he didn’t do much of it in the latter stages of 2023. But through the first 20 games of this year, the forward has racked up 11 goals and leads the Rapids in scoring.
If you’re talking vibes, Navarro fits the bill. He always wears a smile during training, loves Colorado, is a huge basketball (and Nikola Jokic) fan and works as hard as anyone. He’s arguably the best defender in the league at his position.
The minus attached to the A is largely due to recent form and some shaken confidence at the penalty spot. To start the year, he was a perfect 4 for 4. Since then, he’s missed all three attempts while Mihailovic has taken the job. Also, he hasn’t scored in six games since inking a long-term deal with the Rapids.
Is it time to worry about that? Not yet. Let’s talk if he doesn’t score during the Leagues Cup.
Moïse Bombito: A-
The Canadian speedster has been monumental to the Rapids’ success. The center back scored his first MLS goal on his birthday at home against LAFC and is still clocked as the fastest player in the league. He also probably takes the cake for funniest player on the team.
He’s put out plenty of fires defensively, but will sometimes position himself poorly and force himself to show off the wheels. His speed, an MLS All-Star appearance and some impressive showings for the Canadian National Team during Copa America have European teams interested. Barring significant injury or circumstance, he’s destined to be the most expensive outbound transfer in Rapids history. By far.
Kévin Cabral: A-
You might be surprised at this high of a grade. If you’ve been following the Rapids for a while, you probably didn’t expect Cabral to do much this season.
Instead, he’s quelled confidence concerns that plagued his time at LA Galaxy and Colorado. He’s got five goals and four assists this season, both career highs.
After suffering a dislocated elbow against Galaxy which required surgery, Cabral will likely miss the rest of the regular season. Horrible luck for someone who was finding great form.
Oliver Larraz: B+
A big reason behind the weirdness that was Lamine Diack’s loan and ultimate omission from significant playing time was Larraz.
Connor Ronan went down with an injury early in the season and Larraz took off running alongside Bassett in the double pivot.
A workhorse on both sides of the ball, he was finally rewarded with his first MLS goal in front of a packed house on July 4 against rivals Sporting Kansas City. Not bad for the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro MVP finalist.
Jonathan Lewis: B
Perhaps a bit of recency bias on my part, but Lewis has surpassed preseason expectations in just his last four games alone.
With a goal and an assist as a sub against St. Louis CITY and another one of each as a starter in the win against RSL, the winger could be a worthy replacement for the injured Cabral.
In what has been the self-proclaimed toughest season of his career, a goal of his was to remind people what he’s able to do. Consider me reminded.
Calvin Harris: B
The winger is a solid option out wide for Armas’ system. He’s speedy and can be shifty at times with the ball, plus he’s good on the press. He scored a brace against Montréal and has been a part of numerous good-looking counterattacks.
He’s taken some knocks here and there but will have an opportunity for more playing time with Cabral out.
Andreas Maxsø: B
The Great Dane has been inconsistent this season but is an overall plus for the Rapids. He’s great in possession and gets in advanced positions more than many other center backs, but could benefit greatly from improvements in defending one-on-one.
Aside from goalkeeper Zack Steffen, Maxsø is the voice of the defense and has recorded one assist. He’s not scored yet despite being a priority target on corner kicks, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get one by the end of the year.
Keegan Rosenberry: B
Mr. Rapid himself was shocked about his All-Star selection by Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy, but above all, it’s a testament to his MLS career and top-notch leadership.
Rosenberry isn’t the most vocal leader, but the defender’s consistency is unlike most on the Rapids and in the league. He’s not had the best season from a playing standpoint — made worse by some very tough matchups on the wings — but he represents what his team is about: work hard and be rewarded.
Sebastian Anderson: B-
The 21-year-old Homegrown right back barely makes the cut for getting a grade with seven matches played but has looked good in each of them. He recorded an assist at St. Louis via a long throw.
When it comes to preseason expectations, his body of work this year is good enough for a B-.
Darren Yapi: B-
Forward Darren Yapi finally exorcized the demons of a three-year goal-scoring drought with a goal at home against St. Louis. He’s also put together a few nice moments that have changed the course of games, including earning the winning penalty late against SKC.
Fans and media alike (I’m certainly guilty) have set hefty expectations on Yapi, but we’ve all got to remember he’s only 19 years old. He’s another workhorse defensively up front when he subs on for Navarro, and the team celebration for his goal will likely go down as the illustrious, non-existent, vibe of the year.
Omir Fernández: B-
The first offseason pickup for Armas as Rapids head coach was Fernández, who had played under him for years with the New York Red Bulls. His work rate and familiarity with Armas ball were a big reason for the transfer, and that hasn’t faltered in Colorado.
That said, the winger has underperformed a bit offensively, particularly in front of goal. He’s got one goal and four assists this year, but could easily have more of each. There’s no official stat on hitting the woodwork, but Fernández might be in the double digits.
Connor Ronan: C+
The 2023 Rapids MVP has had some bumps in his road this season, including a long-term injury that kept him out from early March to the middle of May. Now at full health, Ronan has been solid in possession but underwhelming in advanced attacks.
The big knock has been his lack of contribution to goals. He led the team with 11 assists a year ago but only has two in 2024, though losing set-piece duties to Mihailovic is a reasonable excuse. He’s been less than impressive defending the ball in some stretches this season, too.
Zack Steffen: C+
It’s hard for me to give a grade like this to someone I consider to be a chamber of the heart of this team. However, statistics aren’t very friendly to Steffen and he’s not met preseason expectations.
For a top-four team in the West, 43 goals conceded is a big number in just 26 games. Not everything can or should be pinned on Steffen, but his save percentage (64.8%) is middle of the pack in MLS. His goals prevented (number of goals prevented based on saves, goals conceded and shot quality) is -9.01, among the league’s worst.
However, he’s gotten better as the season has progressed. He’s one of the league’s best sweeper keepers and is one of the biggest voices on the team.
Sam Vines: C+
Like Rosenberry, Vines has struggled at times this season, particularly against tougher matchups. The only difference is that I expected much more from the left back in his return to Colorado from Europe.
He’s shown promise and flashes of the wing back type of player of old, but has been inconsistent and has even said he feels he’s not at the level he should be. If not for a huge goal against RSL and an assist against LA Galaxy in the same week, I’d probably have given Vines a C. Here’s to hoping this take looks dumb in two months.
Lalas Abubakar: C+
With the ascension of Bombito into a star, Abubakar has been limited to just 11 appearances this year. But while Bombito was at Copa America, Abubakar stepped up and filled the center back role decently.
However, it was almost a routine to see him make at least one costly mistake per game, whether it resulted in conceding a goal or giving up a dangerous chance. As a big aerial threat, I would have expected to see a flying Abubakar goal by now.
Jasper Löffelsend: C
Former RSL man turned Rapids midfielder, Löffelsend is another victim of the team simply having too many good defensive midfielders. He’s appeared in 11 games and impacted them from a physical standpoint, but that’s about it.
He also had a long-term knock around the same time Ronan was out.
Kimani Stewart-Baynes: C
The rookie winger is last on a good depth chart of Rapids wingers. He also barely meets the threshold of games played with eight but hasn’t done very much outside of assisting Mihailovic’s game-winner against LAFC earlier this season.
Stewart-Baynes is quick, strong and smart for his level of experience in the MLS. He’s dealt with some injuries this season but could be a strong candidate for the Rapids’ most improved player around this time next season.
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Originally Published: July 30, 2024 at 6:12 p.m.
