The Rockies have been waiting for Ryan McMahon to bridge the gap between an average player and a breakout star.
McMahon’s first eight games of 2024, punctuated by a walk-off grand slam to beat the Rays in Friday’s home opener at Coors Field, indicates that transition might be currently taking place.
No. 24 swung at the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the ninth, a hanging sweeper from Tampa Bay right-hander Jason Adam, and watched it fly 417 feet into the second deck in right field. The third baseman then yelled and pointed to the jubilant Rockies dugout as he started rounding the bases for his first homer of the year.
“He’s been locked in this whole year so far, and he’s the guy we want walking up to the plate right now,” outfielder Nolan Jones said. “He delivered in a huge way.”
McMahon’s no-doubter in the 10-7 victory marked the third walk-off grand slam in franchise history, joining Charlie Blackmon (Sept. 11, 2020, vs the Angels) and Ryan Spilborghs (August 24, 2009, in extras against the Giants).
The swing erased a would-be collapse in the top half of the ninth, when Justin Lawrence and Jalen Beeks combined to blow a four-run lead as the Rays plated five to go up 7-6. The go-ahead run in that half-inning came off McMahon’s throwing error to first base, after the third baseman made a slick back-handed snag on a hard-hit grounder by Jose Siri.
But Kris Bryant was unable to corral McMahon’s one-hop throw, causing the latter to take off his cap and stare at the sky in frustration.
“I had a little more time than I thought, and I didn’t have a great grip on the ball,” McMahon said. “I threw a mega-sinker over there. I was frustrated with myself, but it worked out.”
McMahon’s homer came after that error, and after Rays closer Pete Fairbanks melted down with three straight walks to open the bottom of the ninth. He was then spelled by Adam, who K’d Bryant on three straight sweepers before McMahon’s decisive blast.
“I was trying to hunt the middle of the plate, and he put one right there,” McMahon said. “I had an idea he might throw it. He just threw three really nasty ones to KB, and I think I got the less nasty one.”
With his game-winning swing on Friday, McMahon’s continued his blistering early-season pace that stands in stark contrast to the struggles of the majority of Colorado’s offense. He’s slashing .414/.471/.586 and has hit safely in seven of eight games.
Following his third career walk-off homer and second career grand slam, McMahon — still sticky from the grape Gatorade bath he received from Alan Trejo as he crossed home plate in front of a raucous sellout crowd of 48,399 — said his early success in 2024 is from an emphasis on “not giving away at-bats.”
McMahon hit.240 with a career-high 198 strikeouts last year, but so far this year, his strikeout percentage is way down, with just six K’s.
“That was a very easy swing on that (grand slam),” McMahon said. “I’ve really worked on my two-strike approach this year, which is translating into an every pitch approach. … I feel like last year, I gave away a lot of at-bats by swinging too big, and missing pitches early in the count.
Colorado Rockies’ Ryan McMahon (24) watches his game-winning grand slam ball in the 9th inning of the opening day game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field in Denver on Friday, April 5, 2024. The Rockies won 10-7. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
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“My first two at-bats (on Friday), I didn’t (shorten up). On one, I got a hanging splitter that is perfect for my swing and I pounded into the ground. It’s about finding a way to get back to a consistent (simplified approach) so I can get back to (moments like the walk-off).”
Friday’s grand slam was even sweeter for McMahon considering it was his first game at Coors Field with his newborn daughter, Austyn, in the stands. The six-week-old slept through the entire game, including her dad’s heroics at the end.
But no worry: In due time, McMahon will present her evidence of his Friday feat that came after a restless Austyn prevented her dad from sleeping well the night before.
“This feels bigger just because of the (1-6) road trip we just came off of — we needed this one and hopefully this spurs something for us,” McMahon said. “And yeah, it was cool to have my daughter here for it. When she’s older, I’m just going to show her the video.”
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