Black tampers with roster

Manager looking for more offense – and foresees 1B Desmond’s return

The addition of 22-year-old pitcher German Marquez to their 25-man roster Tuesday allowed the Rockies, in a roundabout way, to juggle for more offense.

Colorado manager Bud Black sent outfielder Stephen Cardullo to Triple-A Albuquerque so Marquez could start against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field. The Rockies had been using a four-man pitching rotation with off days as placeholders for Jon Gray, who is on the disabled list with a broken foot.

On Tuesday, that luxury died. And Black decided to get creative with his bench. He kept utility infielder Pat Valaika instead of Cardullo, because the latter has just four hits in 28 at-bats.

“He had a great spring and deservedly made the team. He won a spot,” Black said of Cardullo. “Things didn’t go well here, performance-wise, through the first four weeks of April. I suspect that if he plays well in Triple-A and there’s a need, he could be that guy coming back.”

Cardullo’s absence, though, leaves the Rockies with just three true outfielders, all left-handed hitters, in Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra. Valaika is a middle infielder by trade.

So Black will dip into the bottomless well of versatility offered by veteran Alexei Amarista, a 5foot-6 veteran utilityman who played six positions in each of the past two seasons with San Diego. He even pitched.

“That’s the beauty of the Little Ninja. He can go second, short, third, left, center, right,” Black said of Amarista.

Valaika, Black hopes, will provide more punch to pinch-hitting situations. His two-out double in the eighth inning Monday kickstarted a Rockies rally. Blackmon’s home run behind him gave Colorado a 5-4 lead, which they turned into an 8-4 victory.

Valaika, a ninth-round draft pick out of UCLA in 2013, hit .288 with a .920 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in spring training, narrowly missing out on the 25th roster spot to open the season.

The move also foresees Ian Desmond’s coming return from a broken hand. Cardullo was the Rockies’ back-up first baseman behind Mark Reynolds, who is on a hitting tear during Desmond’s recovery.

Parra will now be the primary backup at first, until Desmond returns. And when Desmond does come back, he could play in both the outfield and at first base.

Desmond to suit up soon.

Desmond was swarmed by D.C. media Monday before Washington’s series with the Rockies, a matchup of Desmond’s original and current teams. He was originally drafted by the Montreal Expos before they moved to Washington, where he played seven seasons.

But he still has yet to play for the Rockies. That will end soon, Black said. Desmond will probably start a rehab assignment in the coming days as he works back from a broken left hand suffered in spring training.

“He’s getting close to a game,” Black said. “You want to know when? Can’t tell you.”