Colorado Rockies: Three things that stood out during the homestand

It’s all RyMac now

When top prospect Brendan Rodgers was sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque, it sent a clear message to Ryan McMahon. Simply put, second base was now his job and this was his chance to show exactly what he could with regular at-bats.

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McMahon responded on Saturday night with a career-high-tying three hits. He followed that by going 3-for-5 in Sunday’s loss, marking the third and fourth times he had three hits in a game this season.

Earlier in the homestand, he drove in the game-winning run on Monday against the Cubs with an RBI single. That was the fourth time this season he had come through with the game-winning RBI and was part of an 11-for-29 performance during the homestand (including 9-for-19 against the Padres).

He also flashed his defensive abilities, including on Sunday where he ranged to his left, fielded a Manny Machado grounder in the grass and hit a running Bryan Shaw covering first for the out.

"“With Mac, there’s an intent and an approach every at-bat, which is what we want,” Bud Black said. “His ability to use the whole field, to drive the ball the other way, to move the ball to where it’s pitched, that’s something that is part of his strength as a hitter.” “We want the complete player from Mac,” Black continued. “We want the complete player from Mac. We want the defense. We want the offense. We want the situational at-bat. Whatever he can contribute to a win, that’s what we want and that’s the expectation. “We think he can do it. That’s the bottom line.”"

And that’s part of the reason why Rodgers was sent back to Triple-A. As we explained in this article, it provided regular at-bats for both him and McMahon. That’s a very good thing for two key pieces of Colorado’s future.