An early look at who will — and won’t — be on the team’s 53-man roster.
NEW YORK» When Rockies outfielder David Dahl launched the ball into the stratosphere for a two-run homer in the eighth inning Friday night at Citi Field, it was the culmination for three things:
One, a mechanical adjustment that has made a big difference.
Two, his place in the lineup, where he has been batting third, behind all-star Trevor Story and in front of all-star Nolan Arenado.
Three, Dahl’s growing confidence and maturity as a bigleague hitter, intangibles that had him carrying a .338 average and a .937 OPS entering Saturday night’s game against the Mets.
“He’s letting the game come to him, yet he’s playing aggressive, both on defense and at the plate,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “So it’s that combination of being poised, yet aggressive, which is a great spot to be in as a player.”
How great? Since May 31, Dahl raised his average 41 points during a nine-game hitting streak in which he hit .514 (19-for-37). Since May 10, Dahl hit safely in 20 of his past 24 games at a .379 clip (36for-95).
“We’re seeing base hits to center, right and left,” Black said. “The best version of David is when he’s using the whole field. And overall, his selectivity is improving.”
As for the mechanics of hitting, Dahl said a minor tweak has made a major difference.
“I came into (the season) with my hands a little lower, wanting to relax my body more,” he said. “I was doing OK. Then, all of the sudden, my arms became kind of dead, and they just kept getting lower and lower. I couldn’t catch up to the high fastball, and I couldn’t fire on off-speed stuff. I was getting too crouched over.
“It’s been all about raising my posture and getting my hands ups. I think it’s helped.”
So has hitting between Story (.294 average, 15 home runs) and Arenado (.332, 16).
“Sandwiched between this guy and this guy, it’s definitely helped me a lot,” Dahl said, pointing to his clubhouse neighbors. “It seems like Trevor is always on base, and then I have Nolan behind me, so I’m seeing some quality pitches.”
Dahl, a softspoken sort, doesn’t like to talk too much about his current hot streak.
“I just want to ride it out as long as I can, because we all know how quickly streaks come and go,” he said.
Bullish. Rockies relievers have been shutting the door with authority. Since May 14, the bullpen had posted a 3.42 ERA to rank first in the National League during that span, with opponents batting just .244 (entering Saturday’s game). In June, Colorado relievers had allowed just three runs in 15 innings for a 1.80 ERA.
Footnotes. Right fielder Charlie Blackmon, who came off the injured list Friday after recovering from a strained right calf muscle, was back in the starting lineup Saturday night. … During the Rockies’ 13-4 run since May 24, they have batted .307 and lead the majors with 109 runs scored and 104 RBIS.