Mark Reynolds rises to the occasion in season opener

Colorado Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds found himself jobless for the majority of the offseason. Reynolds was offered a contract from Colorado in October but elected to test the free agent market. The veteran received multiple minor-league contract offers and even an offer to play in Korea but ultimately decided Colorado was the best fit for him.

Boy, are the Rockies glad they could retain him. The decision is already paying off for both club and player.

Ian Desmond, Colorado’s prized and often ridiculed free agent signing, fractured his second metacarpal in his left hand in Spring Training after getting hit by a Rookie Davis offering. Desmond underwent surgery to repair the fracture and is expected to be out until late-April according to Bud Black,

Colorado’s first three hitters — Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu, and Carlos Gonzalez — went 0-for-13 combined in Monday afternoon’s game while striking out five times.

The 6-7-8 hitters — Gerardo Parra, Reynolds, and Tony Wolters — picked up the slack in the teams 7-5 victory.

Parra and Wolters combined to go 4-for-8.

The main production came from Reynolds who finished the day going 2-for-3 with a key two-run home run in the second inning off Junior Guerra — Colorado’s first two runs of the 2017 campaign.

Reynolds, in just one game of action, is already proving to be a solid insurance policy to Desmond at first base.

As for the 33-year-old veteran, he will be featured in the starting lineup until Desmond returns to action. Colorado had to replace someone on the 40-man roster to add Reynolds, which ended up being Colorado flipping Chad Bettis (testicular cancer) to the 60-day disabled list.

Many didn’t even believe he would make the team, but Reynolds is now a vital member of the 2017 Colorado Rockies, and for at least one day, everyone involved is very happy he is.