Veteran infielder Mark Reynolds is reportedly likely to begin the season as the Colorado Rockies’ temporary first baseman.
In 2016, Mark Reynolds played in 118 games with the Colorado Rockies. In February, Reynolds signed a minor league deal to return to the Rockies organization.
Per Thomas Harding of MLB.com, the Rockies have now added the veteran infielder to their 40-man roster. Reynolds is currently hitting .267/.370/.467 with a homer this spring. In a corresponding move, Colorado has moved right-handed pitcher Chad Bettis to the 60-day DL, as he continues his battle against cancer.
#Rockies officially selected the contract of INF Mark Reynolds and placed RHP Chad Bettis on the 60-day disabled list. The roster is at 40
— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) March 26, 2017
Per ESPN, Reynolds is expected to be a temporary fill-in at first base, a position he played almost exclusively last season. Ian Desmond, who was signed to a five-year, $70 million deal over the offseason, is expected to reclaim first base upon his return. Desmond is currently out with a broken hand.
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Reynolds, who has now played with seven different teams, has always been known for his power. Earlier on in his career, when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles, he was a threat to hit 30-plus home runs. He hit as many as 44 home runs for the Diamondbacks back in 2009.
Reynolds’ large home run total was usually accompanied by a low batting average and a high strikeout rate. He has led the league in strikeouts four different times.
Since moving on to the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and now the Rockies, Reynolds’ power numbers haven’t been quite as impressive. Still, he has easily been able to crack double-digits in the home run department every single year.
While injuries limited him to fewer than 120 games last season, Reynolds slashed a solid .282/.356/.450 (101 OPS+) with 14 home runs and 53 RBI. He hit for a higher average than he usually does, and his .282 BA was actually a career-best. His .806 OPS was his best since his first season in Baltimore back in 2011.
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At 33 years old, it certainly appears that Reynolds has something left in his bat. It doesn’t hurt to be playing in the hitter-friendly Coors Field either. Reynolds should be a good choice to hold down the fort until Desmond is healthy. He should also be a nice guy to have on the bench later on in the season.