Gomber has one for the rearview: 'Wasn't my sharpest'

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber conceded that the Dodgers adding Shohei Ohtani to an already stacked lineup is “great for the game,” but …

“We know our goals of trying to get to the postseason and trying to compete in the division obviously got harder because the Dodgers got better,” Gomber said. “But I feel like we’ve gotten better. We’ve got a lot of young guys the league is going to learn about.”

Sunday afternoon, however, was for reminders that the Dodgers are formidable, and then some. Facing a near-regular lineup, Gomber gave up five runs on seven hits over 1 1/3 innings in the Rockies’ 7-4 loss at Camelback Ranch.

“He hit a great pitch that a lot of guys aren’t putting the bat on the ball -- and especially not lining it over the second baseman,” said Gomber, against whom Ohtani is 3-for-6 with a home run and a triple in regular-season play.

In the second inning, Ohtani swatted a not-as-well-placed inside fastball off the top of the wall in center to chase Gomber. Mookie Betts singled and doubled off Gomber, and Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Jason Heyward singled. It was an All-Star list of bruises on baseballs thrown by Gomber.

Being a part of a National League West that the Dodgers have won 10 of the last 11 seasons means resisting any feeling that they’re simply too good. Gomber was clear-eyed about what happened Sunday.

“I’ve faced them before, but obviously they didn’t have Shohei or Teoscar Hernández,” Gomber said. “I’ve been in the league long enough, and faced those guys with their previous teams, enough to know that you have to be sharp whenever you face the Dodgers. The second start of spring wasn’t my sharpest day.”

Sizing up prospects who need more seasoning
The Rockies optioned third baseman Warming Bernabel (the Rockies’ No. 10 prospect in the 2023 MLB Pipeline rankings) to Double-A Hartford and reassigned eight players to Minor League camp. Among the group were prospects whom the club will monitor. Manager Bud Black provided quick notes:

• Bernabel: Bernabel missed a month last season with a lower-back injury. During the offseason, he sustained a pair of gunshot wounds in his lower back when caught in the crossfire of a robbery attempt in the Dominican Republic. The first back injury limited him to 83 games at Hartford, where he posted a slash line of .225/.270/.338.

“He’s just 21 years old, and he’s got some physical tools and bat speed,” Black said. “We think there is some power in his swing. He really needs experience and needs to tighten up some things defensively.”

• OF Benny Montgomery (No. 8): The diligent morning work on outfield play was noticed. Now it’s a matter of the 2021 first-round Draft pick gaining experience. He naturally makes hard contact but has been working on hitting the ball soon enough for the hard contact to lead to more extra-base damage.

“There are some things we identified last season that [hitting instructor] Nic Wilson and the hitting coaches went to Benny with,” Black said. “It’s a progression -- subtle mechanical adjustments that Benny understands. Exhibition games on the Minor League side will happen in about 10 days or so, so he’ll get a lot of repetition. But he showed himself well.”

• LHPs Joe Rock (No. 16) and Carson Palmquist (No. 21): Both could be back later in spring for selected Major League games, but they’ll be in Minor League camp throwing starter volumes of innings. Palmquist took a break after sustaining tightness in his non-throwing shoulder, but the injury is not considered serious.

“It was good to watch them rub shoulders with our veteran players, and we will be keeping an eye on them -- even on the Minor League side we’ll be able to see them from time to time,” Black said.

• SS Ryan Ritter (No. 20): A fourth-round Draft pick in 2022, Ritter earned the quick Major League camp invitation by winning Single-A California League MVP honors last year.

“I’ve seen an athlete that looks to be an all-round player,” Black said. “He moves well in the field defensively and has some bat speed. He just needs to play more games professionally.”