Colorado Rockies roster shakeup puts Brian Serven in line for MLB debut

Brian Serven has shown he can produce at the minor league level. Now the Colorado Rockies are going to give him a chance to show what he can do by working with and batting against MLB pitchers.

The 27-year-old Serven was in the Colorado Rockies clubhouse on Tuesday before the Rockies and San Francisco Giants continued their series at Coors Field. He is slated to make his MLB debut on Wednesday afternoon when he will take his place behind the plate as Kyle Freeland (a pitcher with whom he has plenty of experience from multiple spring training workouts) takes the mound in the finale against San Francisco.

Of course, Serven could potentially be used Tuesday night in a pinch hitting or defensive replacement role, but he will likely have his first MLB at-bat come during Wednesday’s matinee.

What can Brian Serven bring to the Colorado Rockies?

This year, in 77 at-bats with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, Serven has slashed .273/.406/.506 with five home runs and 11 RBI. He has also walked (16) more times than he has struck out (15).

“Brian had been playing and doing really well,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “Hopefully he can carry over his play to big league games. We also great reports from our minor league player development people on the defensive side.”

Serven said he was notified of his first-ever MLB call-up by manager Warren Schaeffer and hitting coach Jordan Pacheco while eating dinner in Salt Lake City where the Isotopes were scheduled to take on the Bees.

“I was in shock immediately,” Serven said. “Then I called my parents and broke down a little bit after that.”

Serven flew to Denver on Tuesday morning and was focusing on learning more about the Rockies pitchers leading up to game time.

With Serven now on the active roster, the Rockies sent catcher Dom Nuñez to Triple-A. Black said the move was a way to ensure Nuñez was getting regular at-bats, something he wasn’t getting playing behind Elias Díaz in Colorado.

“Dom has just a little over 30 plate appearances this season,” Black said, referencing the 36 at-bats in 12 games garnered by the 27-year-old Nuñez. “And look at the second half of last year (Nuñez got 76 at-bats after the All-Star break as Díaz heated up and became a must-start for the Rockies). His at-bats have not been a lot, so I think we just felt, ‘Let’s get Dom playing.'”

Black said he expected Nuñez to see a lot of action for the Isotopes, starting Tuesday night in Salt Lake through the series finale with the Bees on Sunday.

Serven and Nuñez both spent time with the Rockies at their alternate site during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Additionally, Serven will be the second Rockies prospect to make his MLB debut this season, with Elehuris Montero going 2-for-4 in his first MLB action on May 1.

In other roster news, the Rockies placed starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela on the 15-day injured list with a lower back strain. Reliever Justin Lawrence was recalled from Triple-A to take Senzatela’s spot on the roster.

Black will have some decisions to make with the rotation on Sunday when Senzatela’s spot comes up. However, Chad Kuhl, starting on Tuesday, could slot in there with Thursday’s off day keeping him on his regular pitching schedule.