“Spilly” is back.
Whether his presence can help the Rockies make September a month to remember remains to be seen, but gregarious outfielder Ryan Spilborghs is healthy and rarin’ to go. He’ll start in right field for the Rockies this afternoon against the Giants.
“It’s perfect,” Spliborghs said this morning. “Obviously I would have liked to have been back right away, but I had to wait for the process. But I’m excited to be back and hopefully I can help us make a run.”
With 24 games remaining, the Rockies are in third place in the National League West, trailing the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks by six games.
Spilborghs has been out since July 9 with a strained left oblique. He’s missed 47 games. He was out a lot longer than he anticipated. He said he felt 100 percent “about two weeks ago,” but needed an extended minor league rehab assignment to get back in shape and test the oblique muscle.
“It’s a long process with an oblique,” he said. “It’s one of the muscles that you use with everything. When you run, you use your oblique. When you throw or sneeze or laugh or go to the bathroom, or do anything, you are using that muscle.”
In 11 rehab games with Triple-A Colorado Springs, Spliborghs hit .300 (9-for-30) with one double, one homer and four RBIs.
Before his injury, he played 72 games for the Rockies, hitting .314 with six homers and 33 RBIs. He matches up well against left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, who starts today for the Giants. This season, Spilborghs is 4-for-8 with two doubles, a walk and an RBI against Sanchez.
Here are today’s starting lineups:
Giants
RF Randy Winn
LF Fred Lewis
1B Pablo Sandoval
C Benji Molina
CF Aaron Rowand
3B Rich Aurilia
SS Emmanuel Burriss
2B Ivan Ochoa
LHP Jonathan Sanchez
Rockies
2B Clint Barmes
CF Willy Taveras
LF Matt Holliday
1B Garrett Atkins
C Chris Iannetta
3B Jeff Baker
RF Ryan Spilborghs
SS Troy Tulowitzki
LHP Jorge De La Rosa
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
