SAN DIEGO — Nolan Arenado was true to his word.
The third baseman suffered a chest contusion in the sixth inning of Monday’s game against the San Diego Padres when he leaped into the field-level seats trying to make a play. But Arenado was in Tuesday’s lineup nonetheless, hitting cleanup.
“It takes a lot to get him out of there,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said from the Rockies’ dugout before the game. “He did some talking, actually (Monday) night before he left. He said he wanted to be in the lineup.”
X-rays taken after Monday’s game were negative, but Weiss wanted to make sure Arenado felt OK swinging the bat and making throws from third base.
“He checked out pretty good,” Weiss said. “That’s not to say he won’t make a dive tonight and feel something there.”
Arenado fielded groundballs and made a couple of dozen throws across the diamond during batting practice.
As he came off the field, Arenado said, “I’m good.”
Then he fist-bumped a Rockies official.
Chest bumps will have to wait awhile.
Dickerson activated. Outfielder Corey Dickerson returned to the team Tuesday after a five-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque.
Dickerson spent six weeks on the disabled list after suffering a broken rib July 30 at St. Louis.
“We weren’t sure if he was going to make an appearance before the end of the season,” Weiss said. “That’s good that he’s going to get some playing time before we go into the offseason.
“As a player, you always feel a lot better having played as opposed to going into the offseason as an injured player. It’s important that he’s going to get out there again.”
It’s been a mostly lost year for Dickerson, who has batted .315 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 43 games. Plantar fasciitis in his left foot sent Dickerson to the DL on two other occasions this year, costing him another two months.
Weiss said Dickerson could be in the starting lineup as soon as Wednesday night.
Dickerson, 26, had a breakout season last year, batting .312 with 24 homers and 76 RBIs.
“It’s been a tough year,” Weiss said. “It’s too bad. I really thought he established himself last year as a front-line guy. We were looking for big things, and he was too. … He will be back. He’s going to be an impact player in this league, I feel, for a long time.”
Looking ahead
Rockies’ Chris Rusin (5-7, 4.78 ERA) at Padres’ James Shields (10-6, 3.83), 7:10 p.m. Wednesday, ROOT; 850 AM
Shields was supposed to be one of the answers to the Padres’ prayers. While he hasn’t been a dominate ace, it’s not his fault that San Diego has been one of baseball’s biggest busts. The veteran right-hander won his 10th game Sunday against the Phillies, allowing one run with eight strikeouts and one walk in seven innings. The run came on a homer. Shields has been tagged for 28 home runs this season, tied for third most in the National League. Rusin doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he’s smart and knows how to work both sides of the plate. He has pitched two complete games in his last four starts, including a 5-0 shutout of the Padres on Aug. 16 at Coors Field.
Thursday: Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (9-6, 4.24 ERA) at Padres’ Tyson Ross (10-10, 3.21), 1:40 p.m., no TV
Friday: Rockies’ Chad Bettis (6-5, 4.95) at Mariners’ Hisashi Iwakuma (7-3, 4.3), 8:10 p.m., ROOT
Saturday: Rockies’ Yohan Flande (3-2, 4.65) at Mariners’ Roenis Elias (4-8, 4.30), 7:10 p.m., ROOT
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
