SAN DIEGO — Rockies manager Bud Black predicts Ryan McMahon will have a long and prosperous career in the majors, as an everyday player.
For now, however, McMahon is a role player coming off the bench, getting the occasional start, one of which came Tuesday night against the Padres when he manned first base and batted eighth.
“I’m trying to get better at the whole coming-off-the-bench thing,” the rookie said before the game. “My whole career, I’ve been a guy who played every day, so it was easy to just get into a rhythm. So it’s different not playing, but I’m trying to get used to it and I’ve been talking to a lot of the guys about it.”
The last few days, he and starting catcher Chris Iannetta took extra swings against the pitching machine, working on McMahon’s timing against fastball and curveballs. He hoped it would pay off.
“I’ll get in there tonight and get a few at-bats and hopefully get into a rhythm,” McMahon said.
Black said he will likely get utility infielder Pat Valaika into the lineup Wednesday to keep Valaika fresh.
As for McMahon, Black said: “These are steps that young players have to take, and every time that you go through something new in the big leagues, it’s part of your upbringing as a big leaguer.
“In the meantime, his job right now is to do whatever we ask to help us win games, whether it’s coming off the bench, whether it’s a double switch or starting a game. He’s up for it, and that’s a good thing.”
Blackmon magic. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon entered Tuesday’s game with six hits in his last 14 at-bats, including four home runs. He had homered in three consecutive games for the second time in his career.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who tied Blackmon for the team lead last season with 37 homers, applauds Blackmon’s steady production.
“He’s a pretty special hitter, for sure and he’s off to an amazing start,” Arenado said. “There are a lot of things you could learn from Charlie about how he goes about his business.”
Blackmon didn’t become a full-time starter until 2014 when he was 27. Black admires how the center fielder has forged his all-star career.
“Charlie’s beauty is just the steadiness of the day in and day out,” Black said. “And now the homers have shown up a little bit; people are taking notice of the homers.
“He’s made himself into a really, really good player, at the major-league level, and you don’t see that too often. You usually come in younger and then you get incrementally better. But he has turned himself into a (much) better player at this level.”
Chasing Dante. With two hits in Monday night’s game, Carlos Gonzalez moved into fourth place on the Rockies’ all-time hit list with 1,207 hits, passing Vinny Castilla. Third on the list is Dante Bichette, with 1,278.
“I’ve got to catch him this year!” Gonzalez said. “Watch out, Dante!”
Black’s on board with that, and he also shared a Bichette memory.
“One of the farthest home runs I ever gave up was to Dante Bichette,” Black recalled with a laugh. “It was in Cleveland, at the old stadium. He was an Angel. Low changeup, and he belted it, way over the Dawg Pound. It was a bomb.”
For the record, Bichette’s homer was a solo shot in the fourth inning on Sept. 23, 1989. Black, however, got the last laugh, pitching 8 1/3 innings and giving up just two runs in the Indians’ 4-3 victory.
Looking ahead
Rockies RHP Jon Gray (0-1, 9.00 ERA in 2018) vs. Padres LHP Clayton Richard (0-0, 1.29), 8:10 p.m. Wednesday; ATTRM, 850 AM
Gray will try to rebound from a disappointing season opener in Arizona where the Diamondbacks ambushed him early and he was gone after four innings. Lacking command of his pitches, Gray was tagged for three runs on six hits and walked four. The Rockies are expecting better results against the Padres, whom Gray dominated last season in three starts, going 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA with 22 strikeouts vs. four walks. In five career starts at Petco Park, he’s 2-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 40 strikeouts. Richard, at 34, is the Padres’ oldest player. Tabbed to open the season, he pitched well, completing seven innings against the Brewers, allowing one earned run on six hits, while walking one and striking out four. Nolan Arenado owns Richard, batting 10-for-16 (.625) with a double, triple, home run and five RBIs against him.
Thursday: Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (0-0, 27.00) vs. Padres LHP Joey Lucchesi (0-0, 5.79), 1:40 p.m. ATTRM
Friday: Braves RHP Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 3.38) vs. Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-0, 0.00), 2:10 p.m, ATTRM
Saturday: Braves TBA vs. Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (1-0, 3.60), 6:10 p.m., ATTRM
