Wilin Rosario Remains Out Of The Lineup

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Offense will be hard to come by this weekend as the Colorado Rockies wrap up their season with three games at the Los Angeles Dodgers. That starts with Clayton Kershaw tonight, whose accomplishments in terms of ERA are starting place him on a lot of the same lists as Sandy Koufax (and that’s not just because he plays for the same franchise). He’s a lock for the Cy Young and will show up on a number of MVP ballots. So, yea…the Rockies are going to need all the pop they can get.

In that regard they got some bad news when they learned that catcher Wilin Rosario still won’t be able to go because of his injured right calf.

That means that Jordan Pacheco continues to get some reps behind the plate. That’s nothing to get excited about, but it is relevant as the Rockies try to envision what their bench will look like next season. Thanks to a serious drop-off in offensive production, Pacheco ought to consider this an audition for a spot in next season’s plans. If he isn’t useful as a guy behind the plate, it’s hard to imagine him being on the roster when 2014 camp breaks.

Here’s the rest of the Rockies’ lineup for tonight’s game:

Charlie Blackmon CF
DJ LeMahieu 2B
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Michael Cuddyer RF
Nolan Arenado 3B
Todd Helton 1B
Charlie Culberson LF
Jordan Pacheco C
Collin McHugh P

McHugh vs. Kershaw? That’s about as lopsided as a starting pitching match-up can get on paper. The Toddfather likely would not be in the lineup against Kershaw under normal circumstances, but as we know well at this point, these are not normal circumstances.

As for Rosario, if he can’t go tonight I see no real reason to force him out there for either of the team’s last two games. Unless Pacheco can’t handle three in a row or Yorvit Torrealba can’t get back in the lineup, the Rockies might as well let Rosario keep resting as this season stumbles to its finish.