SAN DIEGO — Corey Dickerson had a smile on his face Wednesday after seeing his name in the Rockies’ starting lineup for the first time in two months.
Dickerson, who suffered two broken ribs July 30 at St. Louis, came off the disabled list Tuesday after a five-game rehab assignment for Triple-A Albuquerque. He missed two months of the season with two separate DL stints for plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
“It was very frustrating,” Dickerson said. “Every year I’ve played, I’ve had high expectations no matter what. I still feel like I’ve done well when I’ve gotten to play. I’m not too concerned about it. Things happen. I look forward to being even better next year.”
Asked what he would like to accomplish over the season’s remaining 24 games, Dickerson said he wanted to “help the team win, have solid at-bats and be the competitor I am every day. I’m not going to try to make up the season. I’m just going to try to compete and have the best at-bats I can.”
In 44 games entering Wednesday, Dickerson had batted .315 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. He had a breakout year last season, hitting .312 with 24 homers and 76 RBIs.
“I know my role on this team, and I think I’ve proved myself,” Dickerson said. “All I have to do is feel that groove of playing consistent games going into the offseason so I can build on it going into next year. That’s what I look forward to, finishing the season healthy and looking to get better.”
WATCH:
Hundley injury update. Catcher Nick Hundley had an MRI for the neck injury he suffered Sunday against San Francisco, and it appears to be more severe than first imagined.
“It’s a cervical strain,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “I’m a little more concerned than I was a day or two ago.
“We’ll see how this affects the rest of his season. … If Nick is going to miss considerable time, we’ve got to talk about bringing up another guy.”
Hundley was injured on a swing during an at-bat against the Giants.
“It’s strange,” Weiss said, “but we don’t do normal injuries around here. We break the mold.”
Dueling rookies. It turns out that Tuesday’s duel between rookie right-handers — the Rockies’ Jon Gray and the Padres’ Colin Rea — wasn’t just good. It was nearly unprecedented.
Rea allowed two hits over seven innings. Gray allowed two hits in five innings. Neither one allowed a run in a game won 2-1 by San Diego.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was only the second time since 1900 that rookie starters matched against each other allowed two or fewer hits and no runs. The other occasion came June 24, 2011. In that game, Oakland’s Guillermo Moscoso allowed two hits and no runs in seven innings and Philadelphia’s Vance Worly gave up one hit and no runs in six innings.
Looking ahead
Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (9-6, 4.24 ERA) at Padres’ Tyson Ross (10-10, 3.21), 1:40 p.m., no TV; 850 AM
Without surprise, De La Rosa — who will make his 25th start of the season — has been the Rockies’ best pitcher. His 2.1 wins above replacement (WAR), according to Baseball Reference, ranks fourth on the team among all players, behind only Nolan Arenado (5.5), Carlos Gonzalez (3.6) and DJ LeMahieu (2.9). The next-nearest pitcher on the board is Chad Bettis (1.2). The Rockies have won more than half (13) of games started by the 34-year-old lefty. In his most recent start, De La Rosa gave up just one run in seven innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks. He has a 3.22 ERA on the road this year.
Friday: Rockies’ Chad Bettis (6-5, 4.95) at Mariners’ Hisashi Iwakuma (7-3, 4.03), 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
Sunday: Rockies’ Kyle Kendrick (5-12, 6.25) at Mariners’ TBA, 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Nick Groke, The Denver Post
