The Rockies received an infusion of firepower Friday when outfielder Corey Dickerson was reinstated from the disabled list. He was scheduled to start in left field and hit sixth in Friday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field.
To make room for Dickerson on the 25-man roster, the Rockies optioned left-handed reliever Rex Brothers to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Dickerson, 26, has been hobbled most of the season by plantar fasciitis in his left foot, a condition that often flared up when he ran the bases or chased down balls in the outfield. He’s played in just 38 games, hitting .299 with five home runs and 16 RBIs.
But he was all smiles Friday after completing a four-game rehab stint in the minor leagues.
“It went really well,” he said. “You start off really worried about it, but I got those worries off my mind. I reacted well and I was really able to get after it.
“I played really the whole game — nine innings and seven innings — in the outfield, and it reacted well. So I was excited about it.”
Dickerson went 5-for-15 in four minor-league games this week, two with Single-A Modesto and two with Triple-A Albuquerque.
He was placed on the disabled list on June 17, after also spending time on the DL from May 19 to June 11. He said his foot is much better after his second trip to the DL.
“The first time, I was itching so bad to play, but this time I took my time,” Dickerson said. “I have tried to find a pace that I could play at and stay healthy.”
During is first sting on the DL, Dickerson wore a walking boot for four days. The second time, he kept it on for two weeks.
“I really spent a lot of time off my feet and took care of it and gradually got back to (baseball),” he said. “I’m excited about it — a lot of work went into (returning).”
Manager Walt Weiss will be careful with Dickerson’s playing time, trying to make sure the plantar fasciitis doesn’t flare up again.
“I will be a little bit more careful with him, as far as running him out there every day,” Weiss said. “I’m going to pick my spots with him and give him days off. So I will be trying to stay out front of this with Dickey.”
Brothers, 27, was recalled from Triple-A on July 11. In three appearances with the Rockies, he allowed allowed two earned runs in 22/3 innings. In 32 appearances with Albuquerque, Brothers is 4-1 with three saves and a 4.71 ERA. After a disastrous 2014 season, Brothers is attempting to regain the form that made him one of the best lefty relievers in the National League in 2013.
“I am encouraged,” Weiss said. “I know the results probably aren’t exactly what Rex wanted, but I felt he looked a lot more free on the mound, and loose and athletic. I thought the ball was coming out like we’ve seen it before. But he’ll be back.”
50 Shades of Jon Gray.
Top pitching prospect Jon Gray continues to work at Triple-A while waiting to make his big-league debut. The things he’s been working on to warrant a promotion include developing a more consistent slider, becoming more efficient with his pitches, holding base- runners on better and improving his fielding.
“Those are some of the things we talked about at the end of spring training; those secondary skills that a pitcher needs, especially in the National League,” Weiss said. “That was part of his so-called player plan, moving forward. It sounds to me like he’s made a lot of headway in those areas. And he’s throwing the ball pretty well. So that’s a good thing.”
Looking ahead
Reds’ Johnny Cueto (6-6, 2.79 ERA) at Rockies’ Chris Rusin (3-3, 3.88), 6:10 p.m. Saturday, ROOT; 850 AM
It’s no secret that Cueto, the Reds’ ace, is on the trading block. The big question is what Cincinnati will get for him in return. In his past nine starts, he is 3-2 with a 2.51 ERA. But his past two outings were subpar, at least by his standards — a five-run, five-inning start against Miami and a four-inning, two-run outing vs. Cleveland. With plenty of scouts on hand at Coors Field, it would behoove the Reds to see Cueto pitch like an ace. Rusin, pulled into starting duty because of injuries to Colorado’s rotation, has been a pleasant surprise. He has pitched in control and kept the Rockies in games. He isn’t intimidated by Coors Field, where he is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in five games (four starts).
Sunday: Reds’ Michael Lorenzen (3-4, 3.77 ERA) at Rockies’ Kyle Kendrick (3-11, 6.12), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (6-4, 4.62) at Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks (4-5, 3.66), 6:05 p.m., ROOT
Tuesday: Rockies TBA at Cubs’ TBA, 6:05 p.m., ROOT
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or
