A Midsummer Classic dream home run by Elias Diaz gave the Rockies a much-needed boost.
“That was absolutely electric!” Ryan McMahon told The Denver Post Tuesday night after Diaz hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the National League to a 3-2 win in the All-Star Game.
“Super pumped for Elias, couldn’t be happier for him,” manager Bud Black said after Diaz was named MVP.
Now it’s back to a harsh reality.
The Rockies are a slumping team in transition as the so-called second half of the season begins with a weekend series against the Yankees. The Rockies will almost certainly make trades before the Aug. 1 deadline but it remains to be seen how active they will be. The club would also like to see what it’s got in young players such as Nolan Jones, Brenton Doyle, Elehuris Montero and Michael Toglia.
At the same time, Black and general manager Bill Schmidt want to put a competitive team on the field and they need to provide playing time for the veterans on the roster. It’s going to be a juggling act.
Lastly, these Rockies certainly don’t want the ignominy of being the first team in franchise history to lose 100 games.
Following is a breakdown of the Rockies at the break:
The record: Cemented in last place in the National League West with a 34-57 record (.373 winning percentage), Colorado’s record is second-worst in franchise history as the second half opens. Only the 2005 club (31-56, .356) was worse.
The Rockies have lost 16 of their last 21 games and are on pace to finish the season 61-101.
“I don’t think about it like that,” said McMahon, who said he was unaware that the Rockies have never lost 100 games. “I just think it’s important that we play our best baseball in the second half. This team has a lot of pride and you haven’t seen us quit. Things haven’t gone the way we wanted but it’s important that we don’t accept losing.”
Black said the club has fallen short in two major areas.
“Defensively, we’ve been fine after we had a tough April and we’ve played good baseball in that regard,” he said. “But we’ve fallen short offensively, with power and runs scored. And that’s been the biggest thing that’s been frustrating for us.
“On the pitching side, we haven’t pitched well out of the rotation. That has hurt us. That’s hard to overcome at times. Our depth has been tested.”
Pitching injuries: They have come fast and furious, with the latest blow coming Sunday in San Francisco when left-hander Kyle Freeland went down with a dislocated right shoulder while diving to make a play on a bunt. The Rockies have yet to say how long Freeland will be out but he will certainly go on the 15-day injured list and could be out of action for a significant amount of time.
Freeland’s injury means four-fifths of the projected opening-day rotation is on the injured list. Lefty Austin Gomber, who will pitch the second-half opener against the Yankees on Friday, is the last man standing.
Opening day starter German Marquez underwent Tommy John surgery in May. Antonio Senzatela went on the IL in May with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, and although he’s begun throwing bullpen sessions, there is no exact timetable for his return. Colorado lost Ryan Feltner to a fractured skull when a Nick Castellanos line drive hit him on May 13. There is a slight chance Feltner will return this season.
Rockies starters have a 6.47 ERA, the worst in the majors, and are on pace to be the worst in franchise history. The 1999, pre-humidor rotation had a 6.19 ERA.
The organization’s lack of quality depth could mean more misery in the second half. Senzatela’s return may help and Black said a rehab strategy will be mapped out after the break.
Right-hander Peter Lambert, formerly the club’s long reliever, was sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque to get stretched out. He might be recalled sooner than expected to fill a spot in the rotation. Right-hander Noah Davis is also an option.
The bullpen could soon get a boost with the return of Tyler Kinley. The right-hander, who posted a 0.75 ERA in 25 games last season before sustaining an elbow injury and undergoing surgery, has had two outings at the team’s facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. He will be assessed Thursday at the team’s workout facility and then likely begin a minor-league rehab stint, beginning with two games for Single-A Spokane.
Position injuries: There is better news on this front. Gold Glove second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who suffered a left shoulder injury and underwent surgery during spring training, is well ahead of schedule. Next week, he’ll begin game action in Arizona and then begin his minor-league rehab assignment. The hope is that Rodgers can play about 60 big-league games. Initially, there were fears that he would be out for the season.
Veteran right fielder/designated hitter Charlie Blackmon landed on the IL on June 11 with a broken right hand. He’s scheduled to get out of his splint this week and he’s shooting to play for the Rockies before the end of the month.
Trade deadline: Schmidt told The Post last week that he’s received some interest on relievers, most likely right-handers Brent Suter and Pierce Johnson and lefty Brad Hand. Suter and Johnson’s contracts expire at the end of the season.
Hand’s situation is more complicated. The contract includes a $7 million team option for 2024 with a $500,000 buyout. The option becomes a mutual option if Hand is traded during the season.
Diaz is Colorado’s most valuable trade candidate. Schmidt said he’s willing to listen to “legitimate” offers on the first-time All-Star, but the Rockies asking price will be high, especially considering that Diaz is making just $5.5 million this season and is under contract for $6 million next year.
The Rockies will also listen to offers for first baseman C.J. Cron and outfielders Randal Grichuk and Jurickson Profar. However, there has been middling interest in the veterans so far. All three are in the final year of their contracts.
Attendance: Early in the season, the crowds at Coors Field were trending down, dipping to an average of about 27,000 at the end of May. On April 19, in a 14-3 loss to Pittsburgh, the announced attendance was 18,511, the smallest crowd for a Coors Field game with unrestricted ticket sales since 18,341 on April 18, 2013.
But the fans have come back in droves, thanks in large part to some big-draw visiting teams such as the Mets, Dodgers and Angels (featuring stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani), and the annual fireworks nights. Through 44 home games, the Rockies are averaging 30,882 fans per game, ranking 13th in the majors.
Last season, Colorado averaged 32,467 fans per game, ranking ninth.
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