UPDATE: Rockies activate Carlos Gonzalez, place Ian Desmond on disabled list

DENVER – Ahead of their Fourth of July series with the Cincinnati Reds the Colorado Rockies have activated slumping superstar right fielder Carlos Gonzalez.

CarGo spent the minimum 10 days on the shelf (retroactive) with a sore right shoulder, the Rockies went 1-7 during that time.

The 31-year-old lefty is having a career worst year in the final season of his seven-year, $80 million deal with Colorado, slashing .221/.300/.348 in 68 games. He’s amassed a -0.9 bWAR and has only driven in 20 and hit six homers. These numbers are all very much down compared to last season and his career averages. However, CarGo has been very solid defensively and is still one of the club’s key leaders.

Gonzalez starts in right as the Reds throw RHP Luis Castillo to the mound.

The subsequent roster move to reinstate CarGo was to place Ian Desmond on the 10-day disabled list.

Desmond was hurt on Sunday while catching a fly ball, they called the injury a right groin cramp at the time.

Desmond signed for five years and $70 million this winter and is slashing .283/.315/.388 in his first season with the Rockies. He has been playing left field mostly but was signed as a first baseman. Desmond has added five homers and 26 RBI along with 10 stolen bases this season after missing the first month with a broken hand.

Desmond’s injury will mean rookie Mike Tauchman will stay on the roster and rookie Raimel Tapia will most likely remain a starter (he’s starting tonight too.)

Tauchman was called up the day after CarGo hit the DL and made his MLB debut. He’s biggest impact thus far was misplay in left field that badly hurt the club as a close game derailed the other night in Arizona. He twice walked and nabbed hits in his first nine big league plate anppaercnes and the 26-year-old third round draft pick was having a monster year at Triple-A.

The absence of Desmond spells an all left-handed outfield for the Rockies unless they play Pat Valaika or Alexi Amarista in the corners like they have every now and again in the past.