Michael Toglia admits that he was bummed out when he didn’t make the Rockies’ 26-man roster coming out of spring training. Now, given another chance, he hopes he can show the club something.
Toglia, 24, was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday to replace first baseman C.J. Cron, who was placed on the 10-day injured list after he suffered back spasms during Sunday’s game against Philadelphia.
“It’s really not that stressful,” Toglia said when asked about his need to perform during his current stint with Colorado. “It does matter, but you need to treat it like it doesn’t matter so that you can go about your work every day, with a clean slate and an open mind. And then if an opportunity opens up like it did for me, then you’re ready to go.”
Toglia, Colorado’s first-round draft choice out of UCLA in 2019, made his big-league debut late last season, slashing .216/.275/.378 with two home runs, eight doubles, two triples and 12 RBIs in 31 games. Toglia is already an excellent gloveman, but questions remain about his ability to hit big-league pitching consistently after he struck out 44 times in 120 at-bats (36.7%).
“He’s gonna have to make adjustments to the majors, right?” manager Bud Black said Monday. “You’ve heard me say multiple times, more so than multiple times. There’s a difference between minor-league and facing pitching in the major leagues.”
Toglia had a solid spring training, hitting .307 with four home runs in his team-leading 84 plate appearance. His strikeout rate dipped a bit to 28.6%, but he failed to make the Rockies’ roster.
“That was a tough pill to swallow,” said the switch-hitting Toglia, who was not in the starting lineup Monday night against the Reds at Coors Field. “I was definitely bummed and frustrated because I felt like I could contribute to this team. And, obviously, when I was told that news, I was totally bombed. But I knew that there was an opportunity coming my way, so I stayed ready.”
In 37 games with the Isotopes, Toglia slashed .257/.364/.493 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. He struck out 48 times in 173 plate appearances (27.7%).
“He’ll get some at-bats through the course of this week or however long ‘Cronie’ is on the IL,” Black said. “There’s a strike-zone awareness that he has, but he’s also got to pull the trigger on strikes — be aggressive, be ready to hit from pitch one. A lot of times, that’s the best pitch to hit.”
Abad joins ‘pen. The Rockies selected the contract of veteran left-hander Fernando Abad from Triple-A Albuquerque and placed right-hander Nick Mears on the 15-day IL, retroactive to last Friday, due to a mild left oblique strain.
Abad, 37, has performed well in the Pacific Coast League where pitchers are routinely torched. In 13 games (16 innings) he posted a 1.69 ERA and struck out 20 while walking just two.
Black said that Abad could be used in long relief or as a spot reliever.
Tuesday’s pitching matchup
Reds TBA at Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 0.00 with Rays)
6:40 p.m. Tuesday, Coors Field
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Anderson, 35, was claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay on Friday to bolster a Rockies rotation hit hard by injuries. He made two relief appearances and pitched five scoreless innings with the Rays after being acquired via trade with Cincinnati on May 3. He was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay on May 10. Anderson made seven starts and two relief appearances with Cincinnati last season, going 2-4 with a 6.38 ERA. In six career starts at Coors Field, he’s 2-3 with a 7.67 ERA.
Pitching probables
Wednesday: Reds RHP Graham Ashcraft (2-1, 3.95) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (3-4, 6.30), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
Thursday: Off
Friday: Rockies TBA at Rangers RHP Jon Gray (3-1, 3.15), 6:05 p.m., ATTRM
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