ESPN first reported on Tuesday that the Rockies have agreed to trade right-handed reliever Luis Vizcaino to the Cubs for Marquis, who could add the rotation depth the Rockies have sought this winter. But the teams have not made any official comment, and no announcement is expected until next week.

The Rockies pursued Marquis during the Winter Meetings earlier this month, but they didn't complete a deal because of Marquis' $9.875 million salary for 2009 -- the final year of a three-year, $21 million contract.

The Rockies and Cubs bridged the gap, according to the Denver Post. Vizcaino is due $4 million -- $3.5 million in 2009 salary, plus a $500,000 buyout -- and the Cubs will pay $1 million of Marquis' salary. That means that adding Marquis would add a little under $5 million to the Rockies' payroll.

Marquis, 30, went 11-9 with a 4.53 ERA last season in 29 games, all but one of them starts. Marquis is 79-70 with a 4.55 ERA in 257 games, including 198 starts, with the Braves, Cardinals and Cubs.

The Rockies entered the offseason solidly behind their top three starters -- right-hander Aaron Cook, left-hander Jeff Francis and right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez -- but they wanted to bolster the rest of the rotation. The team originally sought someone with front-of-the-rotation talent, but other teams' asking prices were too high.

Marquis is experienced and considered a solid back-of-the-rotation pitcher, and he would bring more experience than the Rockies' other options -- left-handers Greg Smith, Jorge De La Rosa and Franklin Morales, and right-handers Jason Hirsh and Greg Reynolds.

What isn't clear is how the possible acquisition of Marquis will affect the team's pursuit of right-hander Tim Redding, recently non-tendered by the Nationals. The Rockies nearly traded for Redding during the Winter Meetings, but negotiations fell apart.

The trade would also bring to an end the Rockies tenure of Vizcaino, who last offseason signed a two-year deal -- something Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd had not done previously. Vizcaino struggled in Spring Training, spent time on the disabled list and finished the year with a 1-2 record and a 5.28 ERA in 43 games -- after appearing in 65 or more games each season since 2002.

At season's end, Vizcaino, 34, said he felt he never had a set role with the Rockies. He was signed to be the primary right-handed setup man, but Taylor Buchholz took the role instead and enjoyed a career year.

Trading Vizcaino would alsoalleviate the crowd that has been forming at the end of the Rockies' bullpen. Manuel Corpas and Huston Street -- acquired along with Smith in the deal that sent left fielder Matt Holliday to the Athletics -- are competing for the closer job, with the other taking a setup role. Buchholz also returns.