Ryan McMahon isn’t off to the start he wanted at the plate this year — 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts — but the franchise’s potential first baseman of the future knows enough to not let April adversity divert his course.
“There’s so much baseball left to be played, so I don’t dwell on (early struggles),” McMahon said. “Plus it’s different not playing every day and being a bench guy, so I’m trying to get used to that role. It’s taken some at-bats, but I’ve just got to keep working at it.”
McMahon, who hit .158 in 19 at-bats last year after being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque in August, has made one start this season as the Rockies have also rotated Ian Desmond and Pat Valaika at first base.
The 23-year-old acknowledged he’s “probably hitting too much” in the tunnel in preparation for pinch hitting appearances this season, and also said nothing’s been conveyed to him in terms of the team’s overall strategy at first base for 2018.
For the meantime, as he waits for a more consistent role in the lineup, McMahon’s focused on improving on the tasks he’s been given.
So far, that’s meant coming to the plate in late innings to try to spark a Rockies’ offense that’s been inconsistent through the first dozen games.
“I’m just rolling with whatever role they want me in, but I tell you what — striking out a ton doesn’t feel good when your team’s out there in close ballgames,” McMahon said. “I’m going to keep going up there, trying to get a good pitch to hit, and hit it.”
Ks piling up: McMahon isn’t the only Colorado player struggling to put the ball in play. Following Tuesday’s loss to the Padres in which the Rockies struck out 10 times, the team is now tied for the third-most Ks in the National League with 101.
Quotable: Manager Bud Black on the issue with a Rockies’ offense that has scored three runs or less in five of the last six games: “Collectively, we have a number of guys not swinging the bat like they’re capable. But they will in time — this is too good of an offense to be down for too long.”
