Rockies intriguing roster move sends hot hitter down for yet another bullpen arm

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies have optioned Ryan McMahon to Triple-A Albuquerque in favor of pitcher Yency Almonte, who will make his MLB debut when he enters his first game.

Almonte, typically a starter, figures to work out of the bullpen with the starting rotation set and the struggles the relievers have experienced over the past three weeks. In his minor league career, only eight of his 109 appearances have come in relief.

However, in the 2017 Arizona Fall League, all nine of his appearances for the Salt River Rafters came after the first inning. In an exclusive interview, he told BSN Denver about that experience. That story to follow.

Almonte has struggled to a 6.27 ERA in the early going for the Isotopes, but is coming off back-to-back quality starts and has held opposing teams to three runs or fewer in all but one of his outings of at least four innings pitched.

Affecting his production and statistics are two stints on the disabled list this season. In his first start of the season, a nerve scare in his throwing elbow sidelined him for two weeks, tanking any momentum he developed from a spring training in which he impressed Rockies manager Bud Black.

McMahon is sent back to the minors still riding high on his biggest moment in the majors. He hit a game-swinging three-run pinch-hit home run to deliver Wednesday night’s victory over the New York Mets.

In general, McMahon has looked like a much-improved ballplayer in every facet of the game since his last trip back to Albuquerque and subsequent call-up. While still not taking the world by storm, he hit .244 and slugged .489 with his first two homers in his second stint on the MLB roster. He also looked comfortable in the field, including at second base.

Rockies fans can expect to see him back again this season, possibly refined a bit further with some everyday at-bats.

This does leave Colorado’s roster in an interesting spot. They’ve sent down their primary back-up middle infielder in McMahon, though both Ian Desmond and Tony Wolters can play up the middle in a pinch. For now, the Rockies are simply counting on Trevor Story and DJ LeMahieu to play every inning.

Furthermore, the bench is down to just three position players, two of whom are catchers, and they now sport a nine-man bullpen. At this point, no one will argue against the ‘pen needing all the reinforcements it can get.