With injuries to outfielders Sean Bouchard and Randal Grichuk, the Rockies are showing renewed interest in signing free-agent infielder/outfielder Jurickson Profar, a source confirmed to The Denver Post on Friday.
Whether the Rockies can land Profar, a client of agent Scott Boras, remains to be seen. Money and the number of years on the contract could be sticking points.
Profar, 30, hit 15 home runs and slashed .243/.331/.391 in 152 games for San Diego last season. He is currently playing for the Netherlands’ World Baseball Classic team. Hensley Meulens, the Rockies’ new hitting coach, is managing the Netherlands.
Injury updates: Veteran outfielder Charlie Blackmon, who will be Colorado’s primary designated hitter, left Friday’s Cactus League game against the Giants in the first inning because of mid-back tightness. Blackmon started the game in right field. Outfield prospect Brenton Doyle replaced Blackmon.
Position battles: Rookie third baseman Elehuris Montero, trying to prove that he belongs on the 26-man roster, went 1-for-2 Friday, hitting his second Cactus League home run.
Meanwhile, veteran corner infielder Mike Moustakas, who could beat out Montero for the starting job at third, has been tuning up on the minor league fields. Moustakas, signed to a minor-league deal Sunday, told MLB.com that he had 10-12 at-bats on Thursday and planned to get the same number of reps on Friday. Manager Bud Black told MLB.com that Moustakas could be ready for spring training games “in the next day or two.”
Rockies 8, Giants 1
Friday at Salt River Fields
On the mound: Lefty Austin Gomber turned in his best performance of spring, pitching four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks with two strikeouts. Right-hander Connor Seabold pitched two innings, allowing one run on two hits, including a solo home run. In three Cactus League games, Seabold has allowed one run on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts across seven innings (1.29 ERA).
At the plate: First baseman C.J. Cron hit 2-for-3 with a double and a homer, his first of the spring. Cron drove in four runs. Right fielder Kris Bryant continues to swing the bat well. He went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. In seven games, Bryant is hitting .333 (5-for-15) with one double, three home runs and four walks.
Up next: Mariners (6-6) at Rockies (6-7), 1:10 p.m. Saturday
Rockies pitching probables: RHP Jose Urena, RHP Jeff Criswell, LHP Brad Hand, RHP Dinelson.
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