Good stuff:

Manager Bud Black likes the results pitcher German Marquez is tallying.

Bud Black does not get to see many of the candidates he is considering to fill an empty spot in the Rockies’ pitching rotation, at least up close. But he can see the numbers. And he likes how German Marquez adds up.

“You saw the nine (punchouts) in four-plus,” Black said Saturday. “That’s a good ratio.”

Marquez, a 22-year-old righthander who debuted last season, is the leading candidate to fill out Colorado’s rotation in the spot left vacant by Jon Gray. Marquez started the season on the Rockies roster, in the bullpen, but never appeared. He could be back as soon as Tuesday after Gray broke his foot April 13 at San Francisco.

In three starts for Triple-A Albuquerque, Marquez breezed through his assignments, steadily building back his pitch count. He has 18 strikeouts and no walks in 10 innings. Against Reno on Thursday, he struck out nine and gave up two runs in 4M innings.

“Good reports,” Black said of Marquez. “Threw the ball well. Used the curveball. It was effective.”

Marquez is lined up to pitch Tuesday on regular rest, not coincidentally the same day the Rockies need a starter to face the Nationals at Coors Field. And Marquez’s competition for the spot seems to be dwindling.

Jeff Hoffman, the tall 24-yearold right-hander, pitched to mixed results Friday against Reno, giving up six runs on eight hits in six innings. He is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA with the Isotopes this season over 31L innings.

“Jeff needs innings. He needs to have a good outing from first inning to last,” Black said. “The curveball has been a little inconsistent. We worked on some delivery stuff in spring and really made a point to get a handle on it, which he did. Now it’s a matter of repetition. He needs reps and starts and innings to continue to fine-tune his game.”

Dahl back in action.

Outfielder David Dahl returned to Colorado’s clubhouse late Friday night, arriving at Coors Field in the eighth inning of the Rockies’ 6-5 victory over the Giants. He was eager to be back. A positive MRI scan earlier in the day showed his injured rib, on the right side near his back, had healed.

“I start to get to be more of a real baseball player,” Dahl said. He will start to throw and lift weights, and will soon hit off a tee, then take batting practice.

Story’s grand hit.

Black hopes Trevor Story’s grand slam Friday will help him out of an early-season slump (.143 average and 26 strikeouts in 56 at-bats before Saturday). “That pitch was down and out over the plate,” Black said. “He went down and got it, nice swing, didn’t pull off it, stayed on it, got underneath it and squared it up. It looks like he’s seeing the ball really well.”