Yonder Alonso continues torrid stretch with Colorado Rockies

In a season full of unexpected disappointing performances for the Colorado Rockies, the last few weeks have delivered a surprising source of production from an unexpected player.

First baseman Yonder Alonso has seen successful before in the big leagues but after hitting .178 in 67 games for the Chicago White Sox, he was let go and signed to a minor league deal by the Colorado Rockies. Ever since, he’s been on fire.

After hitting .419 and driving in 12 runs in nine games with Triple-A Albuquerque, Alonso got the call for the Rockies and has been one of their hottest hitters since. He’s played in 19 games for Colorado but started in only six. Despite the inconsistent playing time, Alonso has hit .333 with three home runs, seven RBI, and eight runs scored. Alonso has also come through as a terrific pinch-hitter, having gone 4-for-11 with three RBI.

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In his brief time with the Rockies, Alonso has hit for a 1.193 OPS and worked seven walks to go along with his six extra base hits. After a disappointing start to the season with Chicago, Alonso has certainly helped his case heading into free agency this offseason and will likely get another shot with a team in 2020, whether that’s with the Rockies or with someone else.

The Rockies have Daniel Murphy for one more year and plenty of young players in their system who can man first base for several years into the future, plus Alonso is already in his 30s, so the Rockies likely won’t retain him with the intention of having him play first base everyday. However, the Rockies might consider re-signing him to a short term deal as a bat off the bench.

While Alonso might not be the long-term answer at first base, he has certainly has provided the Rockies with a silver lining during their worst stretch of baseball during the Bud Black Era.