BOSTON — With his offense sputtering as a nine-game road trip nears its end, Rockies manager Walt Weiss tinkered with his lineup before Thursday’s game against the Red Sox. He dropped slumping rookie shortstop Trevor Story from second to seventh and moved DJ LeMahieu up to the second slot.
“Our offense has been doing OK but it’s slowed a little bit,” Weiss said. “So I thought moving DJ up would help us manufacture a few things. On the other hand, it also helps lengthen our lineup with Trevor hitting seventh.”
lineup vs.
— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp)
Colorado entered Thursday hitting just .233 on this road trip. It had drawn 17 walks but struck out 64 times. With runners in scoring position, the Rockies have been cold, hitting .255. That’s one of the reasons they stumbled into the final game of the trip with a 2-6 record.
Story, who struck out four times Tuesday and did not play Wednesday, has been slumping. Entering Thursday, he was batting 7-for-30 (.233) on the trip with one homer and 13 strikeouts. Still, he did not view the move as a demotion.
“We’re just mixing it up a little bit,” Story said. “We feel like we are kind of standing still on offense right now.”
Story said his confidence has not been affected.
“Not at all,” he said. “For me, I just look at it as another way to win the game. With DJ in the two hole … he’s really good at it. I think it helps lengthen our lineup too. So, no, it doesn’t hurt my confidence.”
Weiss called Story into his office to inform him of the change.
“Trevor’s handled everything well,” Weiss said. “He’s a great kid and he’s having a great year. I told him, ‘This isn’t punishment because you are not doing something you are supposed to be doing. It has nothing to do with that.’ This is just me trying to stir things up a little bit.”
De La Rosa’s role. Veteran left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen Wednesday, will pitch mostly in long relief.
“It will be a multi-inning role,” Weiss said. “He probably won’t be available until maybe tomorrow or maybe Saturday.”
De La Rosa started Tuesday’s game and got shelled by the red-hot Red Sox, giving up seven runs and nine hits in 3⅓ innings. In 62 career appearances as a reliever, he is 4-3 with a 5.38 ERA.
Looking ahead
Giants RHP Matt Cain (1-5, 5.37 ERA) vs. Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (5-3, 3.02), 6:40 p.m. Friday, ROOT, 850 AM
Chatwood has been Colorado’s best starter, particularly on the road where he owns a 0.53 ERA. He’s had a much rougher go at Coors Field, but it’s up to him to cool down the Giants and get a seven-game homestand off on a winning note. In nine games (eight starts) against the Giants, Chatwood is 3-3 with a 4.00 ERA. Cain got off to a terrible start this season, but he beat the Cubs in his last outing and has limited opponents to four runs over his last 21 innings (three starts). Cain has held his own at Coors Field, posting a 6-4 record with a 4.80 ERA in 16 career starts.
Saturday: Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (6-2, 2.17 ERA) vs. Rockies LHP Chris Rusin (1-2, 3.93) or RHP Eddie Butler (2-2, 3.58), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Sunday: Giants RHP Johnny Cueto (7-1, 2.38) vs. Rockies RHP Eddie Butler (2-2, 3.58) or Chris Rusin (1-2, 3.93), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Reds (TBA) vs. Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (4-3, 4.90), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
