Colorado Rockies Update: Charlie Blackmon to Return Tonight?
Will Charlie Blackmon be back in the starting lineup for the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night? Colorado manager Walt Weiss seemed to indicate that it was a possibility prior to Tuesday’s loss to the San Francisco Giants.
After missing Tuesday night’s game, Blackmon has now been out of the Rockies starting lineup for four consecutive games. He was originally scratched from Saturday’s lineup with a sore back and has yet to return to the Colorado order.
Weiss said Blackmon is inching closer to returning to his usual spot at the top of Colorado’s batting order.
“He’s definitely closer. When a guy’s been out a few days, we like to put him through the ringer before we put him out there in a game,” Weiss said. “Charlie’s close to being put through the ringer.”
Weiss told reporters on Tuesday that Blackmon wouldn’t need a pinch hit appearance to test his back.
“He has a bunch of at-bats under his belt and he hasn’t been out that long. When he’s ready, he’ll be back in the starting lineup.
“He’s close. Charlie hasn’t been out very long. When he’s ready to go, he’ll be back in there.”
Raimel Tapia has taken Blackmon’s spot in the order and in center field. In 17 at-bats, the rookie has logged a .412 batting average with two stolen bases. His speed on the bases helped the Rockies score their first run in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Giants.
This season, Blackmon is hitting .317 with 23 homers and 67 RBI. He also has 16 stolen bases. He has heated up as the season has gone along, with 11 homers in his last 30 games.
Part of that hot streak helped Blackmon be named as the National League Player of the Week for the period ending August 14. It was his second Player of the Week honor of the 2016 season, matching the honor he won from June 20-26.
In seven games prior to winning the award, Blackmon went .563 (18-for-32) at the plate with 13 runs, two doubles, seven home runs, nine RBI, two walks and one stolen base. The hits, runs, home runs and 42 total bases led MLB over that span.
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