The Rockies are not counting on Adael Amador to make a huge splash in the big-league pool. They’ll settle for some ripples. For now.
They want the 21-year-old second baseman, their No. 1 prospect, to get his feet wet, make some mistakes, and learn. So when he is a full-time major leaguer, he won’t be drowned by expectations.
“We want to get him acclimated,” manager Bud Black said. “These are all steps for him to start his career. These little steps and positive notes along the way will only help him.”
In his first five games, entering Saturday night’s game against the Pirates at Coors Field, Amador was hitting 3-for-18 (.167) with five strikeouts, no walks and one stolen base. He’ll continue to get regular playing time until starting second baseman Brendan Rodgers returns from his hamstring injury.
When Rodgers does return, Amador will be optioned back to the minors, most likely to Double-A Hartford. That should not be considered a demotion. Rather, it’s part of the process.
Despite his quiet start at the plate, Amador does not feel like he’s in over his head.
“At the beginning, you could probably say that (the big-league game) was a little fast,” Amador said Saturday, using bullpen catcher Aaron Munoz as an interpreter. “But it’s a game about being in control, so just allowing me to have this experience (has been good).”
Playing alongside shortstop Ezequiel Tovar has been good, too. Tovar, just 22, has a chance to make the All-Star Game in his second season in the majors. Tovar was a Gold Glove finalist last season as a rookie.
“It’s been an amazing opportunity to play next to him,” Amador said. “I go back to last year when I talked to him and said, ‘God willing, one day I’m going to play next to you.’ That was the goal. He is always telling me to have fun with all that I do. And continue to work.”
Amador is considered a relatively mature and selective hitter for someone his age. In 277 career minor league games, he has more walks (186) than strikeouts (172). But he’s been overeager in his first 18 plate appearances for the Rockies.
Still, Amador said the speed of the major-league game has not overwhelmed him, though he knows he has adjustments to make.
“Other than (playing with) more veterans and older players, the biggest difference is when guys execute their pitches, there are no big misses,” he said. “The very few misses they do make are very rare. So you have to take advantage of those.”
Black, however, sees Amador pressing a bit.
“The bat speed looks good,” Black said. “The bat is getting through the zone fine. But there is a little bit of major-league anxiousness going on, which is not how he conducted his minor-league at-bats. But in the last two games in Minnesota (on Tuesday and Wednesday), he looked a lot better. So, hopefully, that carries over.”
Amador came up as a shortstop, so he’s still working out some kinks at second base. But the Rockies think the transition is working.
“Defensively, he looks fine,” Black said. “We’re keeping an eye on his positioning, but ‘Schaeff’ (infield coach Warren Schaeffer) does a good job of that. There haven’t been a lot of plays where (Amador) has been tested, but he’s made the routine plays and looked comfortable.”
Bryant has an oblique strain. First baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant, who’s missed significant playing time this season because of a low-back strain and a left rib contusion, is dealing with another injury.
Bryant told MLB.com Saturday that he has a strained oblique, which has slowed his return from the 10-day injured list. Bryant said that he was not healing from the rib injury as quickly as possible, and an MRI revealed the oblique injury.
Bryant has been on the IL since June 3 because of the rib contusion. Bryant missed 31 games earlier in the season because of a low-back strain. In 24 games, he’s hitting .186 (16-for-86) with two home runs and a .586 OPS.
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“Originally, when I did it, I thought I just bruised my ribs, then I got an MRI and it was, ‘Oh, it’s an oblique strain, too,’ ” Bryant told MLB.com. “It’s frustrating because after I did it, I was swinging by myself and I felt it was only going to be a couple more days. But it got worse and worse.”
Bryant sustained the injury while making a twisting catch against the netting in foul ground at Dodger Stadium on June 2.
Brenton Doyle scratched. Center fielder Brenton Doyle was a late scratch from the starting lineup for Saturday night’s game because of what the Rockies called a left patella tendinitis. The Rockies wanted to get him off his feet for one game but said he would be available to play if needed.
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