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Colorado Rockies: Projecting the Opening Day lineup 2.0

By Noah Yingling

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 30: Randal Grichuk #15 of the Toronto Blue Jays flies out in the third inning of their MLB game against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre on September 30, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 30: Randal Grichuk #15 of the Toronto Blue Jays flies out in the third inning of their MLB game against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre on September 30, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
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Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz
Sep 10, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz (35) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports /

8) Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Díaz

Elias Díaz struggled to start the 2021 season but his final four months of the season were phenomenal.

In his final 78 games (June 2 through the end of the season), he had 17 homers, 40 RBI, and a slash line of ,284/.348/.553. That’s a 162-game pace of 35 homers and 83 RBI so if he continues to hit like that, he will be higher up in the lineup.

But if he hits .246/.310/.465 so, for now, he would hit eighth in the Rockies lineup.

9) Colorado Rockies shortstop José Iglesias

José Iglesias won’t be able to replace Trevor Story offensively and if his defensive metrics from the last few seasons are any indication, he won’t replace him defensively either.

In the last two full seasons of games (2019 and 2021), Iglesias had an OPS of .724 and .701, which was nearly identical to former Rockies outfielder Raimel Tapia. The Rockies had Tapia leading off because they had a bad offense and no particularly good offensive player to hit leadoff since Charlie Blackmon was in the power spots.

Now that Blackmon leads off, Iglesias will hit ninth.

Next. Could the Rox have a revival of the Blake Street Bombers?. dark

In comparison to what it looked like just three weeks ago, the Rockies lineup actually looks like a semi-decent lineup. Now, if all or most of them play close to their potential, maybe, just maybe, the Rockies could be a team that sneaks up on people.

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