Michael Cuddyer Delivers Four Hits In Rehab Appearance

Michael Cuddyer made his first ever appearance in a Colorado Springs Sky Sox uniform last night, delivering 4 hits as the team defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes by a final score of 12-9. It was his first game since injuring his right oblique at the beginning of this month.

Cuddy mashed a home run in his first plate appearance, matching Troy Tulowitzki who previously accomplished that same feat. He followed that with two singles and a double. The plan is for him to make one more rehab start tomorrow and then return to the Rockies for the series opener against the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Interestingly that means he will miss playing in Colorado Springs with Jhoulys Chacin by just one day.

Something interesting has transpired in Cuddyer’s absence. The two positions he primarily plays, right field and first base, have consistently been occupied by two players who are generating a great deal of buzz with their performance: Eric Young Jr. and Tyler Colvin. The buzz around Colvin fizzled slightly with his recent slump, while it is just getting started with Young, who in addition to swinging a hot bat on the road knocked a home run in last night’s victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Of that group, it is the least useful to play Cuddyer in meaningless games. Unfortunately that would make him the richest bench player in baseball, an option the Rockies surely will not choose. At that point Young Jr. and Colvin will have to continue to impress with fewer at-bats to work with.