Colorado Rockies: Could David Dahl make the Opening Day roster?

Today (Thursday) is a big day for the Colorado Rockies and for outfielder David Dahl, who is scheduled to swing a bat for the first time since July 31.

According to an article in The Denver Post, Dahl will start his comeback on Thursday from a stress reaction injury to a rib that first reared its ugly head last March during spring training. Thursday’s swings at the Rockies spring training complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., will mark the first time that Dahl has swung a bat since he last played for Triple-A Albuquerque on the last day of July.

Dahl hasn’t been in a Rockies uniform since October 2, 2016, when he went 1-for-5 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. That single allowed him to extend his season-ending hitting streak to seven games, part of an impressive rookie campaign where he hit .315 with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 222 at-bats.

Rockies fans were salivating over what Dahl would bring to the table for a full season in 2017 … until the rib injury occurred. Interestingly, Dahl’s injury started a necessary shift in Colorado’s defense that would see Ian Desmond spending more time in left field than first base, the position he signed a large, multi-year contract to play. It also opened the door for more playing time for Gerardo Parra, who had a bounceback campaign in his second year with the Rockies.

However, that was then … and this is now. Today, let’s look at the possibilities of Dahl making the active roster in 2017 and what effects it could have on the team’s success and personnel.

Make no mistake about it … Dahl’s first swings on Thursday still have him a long ways off from actually being able to play baseball. However, the 23-year-old Dahl is highly motivated to make his return to the Majors. Read his quotes and you know he is itching to return.

Colorado Rockies

Flash back to the spring of 2017 and remember that Dahl was expected to compete with Gerardo Parra (who was coming off a horrid 2016 season) for the starting spot in left field. Now, Dahl will just be competing to make the Opening Day roster. And that may be tough considering Parra, Charlie Blackmon and Desmond could be your Opening Day outfield starters if the Rockies use Ryan McMahon at first base as has been reported.

Raimel Tapia should also figure heavily into the outfield mix in 2018 and it’s possible that the Rockies will still acquire another bat before the offseason ends. That could change things completely as well.

So where does that leave Dahl? It leaves him needing to make an impression on manager Bud Black who, remember, has yet to see him play in an actual game in person. Black reminded the Denver media of that in these comments from August. Black has a familiarity with all of the outfielders above and what they can do in certain situations. Dahl is still a mystery to him.

Dahl absolutely has the talent to impress Black and make the roster. We know that from his rookie season where he tied a Major League record with a 17-game hitting streak to begin his career. However, it’s going to take more than talent to be ready for Opening Day.