Grichuk thriving in field, steady at plate
Center Fielder Randal Grichuk made quite a first impression with Rockies fans. And the fans’ second look wasn’t bad either.
On April 12 at Globe Life Field, he made a leaping catch at the center- field wall to rob the Rangers’ Corey Seager of a three- run homer.
On Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, Grichuk was positioned in right- center when the Phillies’ Alec Bohm looped a ball to shallow center. Grichuk sprinted across the grass and made a diving catch.
Grichuk, true to his nature, is not satisfied.
Asked if he’s meeting his own expectations in the early going, Grichuk said: “Yes and no. I think there are some balls — here, at Coors Field, on the last homestand — that I think I might have been able to catch if I had been more accustomed to the wind and the ballyard a little bit more.
“I’m harder on myself than others, but I can say that it hasn’t been bad.”
Grichuk, acquired during a spring training trade with Toronto for Raimel Tapia, has made a solid impression on manager Bud Black.
“He’s a steady, dependable major league outfielder,” Black said Saturday before the Rockies hosted the Reds. “He’s consistent. There is a little bit of closing speed in there and there is some range in there.
“I think there is a solid arm and from what I have seen so far, the initial breaks are good.”
There have been a few bad moments when a miscommunication with Kris Bryant in left field and Charlie Blackmon in right has allowed flyballs to drop in for hits. But Grichuk is confident that once he gets used to his teammates and the vast expanses of the outfield at Coors, the outfield’s overall defense will improve.
Playing outfield in Lodo, Grichuk admitted, is taking some getting used to.
“Where do I start?” he said with a laugh. “It’s been really windy here, so it’s tough to say how this park plays. But if you take out the wind, I think I have gotten pretty used to the ball flying here more than it usually does ( at other ballparks).”
Coors Field, of course, will present a different kind of challenge when the spring winds die down and summer temperatures soar. That’s when the baseballs really start flying.
“I’m looking forward to that,” Grichuk said. “I’m OK with that in the outfield as long as it works for me hitting, too.”
Add Grichuk. The outfielder has also been Colorado’s steadiest offensive performer in April.
He entered Saturday’s game hitting .333 at Coors ( 9- for- 27), and .333 ( 10- for- 30) on the road, where he’s hit both of his home runs.
With runners in scoring position, Grichuk was hitting .467 ( 7for- 15) with one homer. Footnotes. Second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who’s missed three games with a sore middle back, was not in the lineup again Saturday.
Black said Rodgers is close to returning and continues to say that Rodgers will likely not have to go on the injured list. …
The Rockies have turned 28 double plays this season, the most in the majors heading into Saturday’s play. Since 2018, the Rockies lead the majors with 575 double plays. Kansas City is a distant second with 527.