Notes: Gomber sharp in sim game; Lawrence

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Monday afternoon’s 12-5 Cactus League loss to the Dodgers was Rockies manager Bud Black’s way of allowing less-experienced pitchers to work, and take lumps, against a World Series champion lineup. As for giving lumps, left-hander Austin Gomber prepared for that in a simulated game.

Gomber, who has given up no runs and struck out eight in seven Cactus League innings, threw a 70-pitch simulated game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Even with no fielders behind him and only the occasional fan walking a path between ticket booths to watch, Gomber’s four-pitch mix was just as sharp.

“His pitch count got to 70 and he held his stuff,” Black said. “We wanted to make sure he got to that number. He went out there four times, used all his pitches. He was fine.”

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Black said it “doesn’t matter” that Gomber didn’t face the Dodgers. However, the defending champs will not get a fresh look at Gomber before he is scheduled to face them during the season-opening four-game series at Coors Field, April 1-4.

Gomber, obtained from the Cardinals in the Nolan Arenado trade, is not a stranger to the Dodgers -- they ignited for nine hits and seven runs in three innings while handing him his first Major League loss on Sept. 13, 2018.

But the way Gomber is using his curveball and spotting his fastball now, well, that was then.

Turning heads
Righty reliever Justin Lawrence, who got attention in the Arizona Fall League in 2018 for his power stuff from a low arm angle, is back on the Rockies’ radar. On Monday, he showed a power sinker that topped out at 97.8 mph.

Lawrence, 26, completed an 80-game suspension last year for a violation of the MLB Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. It came on the heels of a rough 2019 in which he posted an 8.76 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A combined.

In Monday’s test, he entered in the second with the bases loaded and two out, and walked the Dodgers’ Justin Turner on four pitches. But Lawrence rebounded to retire Max Muncy on a grounder, on a 96.7 mph sinker. Lawrence buzzed through the next inning, with grounders by AJ Pollock and Edwin Ríos bracketing a strikeout of Austin Barnes.

“The way he's thrown the ball, it gives us a great deal of hope that we have something on our hands in the future,” Black said.

Quick looks

• Joshua Fuentes, who statistically was impactful at first base last year, made some athletic plays at third in Monday's game. Asked what he’s best at, Black said, “He’s just a good defender.”

• Non-roster invitee Connor Joe, who has recovered after being diagnosed with testicular cancer while with the Dodgers last year, knocked a two-run homer in the ninth. Even if Joe is not part of the Rockies' first base/outfield picture in the beginning, he figures to be a solid depth piece.

Appreciating the opportunity
Last year was a head-spinning ride for José Mujica. Coming back from Tommy John surgery, the right-hander signed with the Rockies during the offseason and found himself in the Majors for two outings in 2020, in which he yielded 10 hits and six earned runs over 4 1/3 innings.

Following Monday’s start against a strong Dodgers road lineup (five hits, four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings), Mujica says he needs more work. But he has developed confidence in his health, and believes he is on track for another chance.

“I hadn’t pitched for over two years at that point,” Mujica said in Spanish with bullpen catcher Aaron Muñoz translating. “Looking back, I was happy to be a part of that and pitch in the greatest league in baseball, even though statistically it wasn’t the best.”

Mujica said he still had work to do physically after the season, and he continues to work on regaining the secondary pitches he had pre-surgery.

“His intentions are good. He’s young and he didn’t pitch last year a whole lot,” Black said.

'B' game test
Righty Antonio Senzatela, who hasn’t pitched this spring because of a mild right hamstring injury, will face the Angels on Tuesday for three scheduled innings in a "B" game. The hope is Senzatela will be ready for the season-opening rotation.

Penciling Senzatela in against the D-backs on April 6, in the fifth regular-season game, is the scenario that would give him the most time to prepare. By going with five starters at the beginning of the year, the first four in the rotation would get an extra day’s rest after the first start.

Non-roster righty Dereck Rodríguez, who is being prepared as a starter but with the possibility of working as a long reliever, is scheduled for four innings against the Angels on Tuesday. Competing for likely the same spot is righty Chi Chi González, who will face the Reds in a Cactus League game in Goodyear, Ariz., with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. MT.

The Rockies also continue to be encouraged about second baseman Brendan Rodgers’ strained right hamstring.

“There’s no pain, there’s not a lack of strength, there’s no bruising like you see from a typical hamstring strain,” Black said.