Rodgers using offensive frustration as fuel

This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TORONTO -- Second baseman Brendan Rodgers began the year as the Rockies’ cleanup hitter but has slumped since the start. He’ll go into Friday night’s opener for a three-game set against the Blue Jays, kicking off a six-game road trip, batting .174 with 10 strikeouts. Rodgers gives company to Nolan Jones (.157 batting average, 23 strikeouts) and Kris Bryant (.100, 15 strikeouts) in struggles among key lineup pieces.

The play in the above video -- a diving and rolling play to retire Tucker Barnhart to end the top of the sixth inning of Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to the Diamondbacks -- is the type that can ignite a slumping player. Rodgers was a Gold Glove Award winner in 2022, so he understands how to contribute defensively until the offense arrives.

The bat didn’t show immediately. Rodgers grounded to second in the bottom of the inning, and screamed his analysis of the at-bat as he headed to the dugout.

The frustration comes from Rodgers, whose compact swing is intact, fouling off pitches that he drives when going well. In his first at-bat on Wednesday, he struck out to end the first inning with two runners aboard. But Rodgers was ahead in a 2-0 count against pitcher Tommy Henry and fouled off two pitches that when going well, he tends to drive for RBIs -- of which he has none in 2024.

“I’m just a little early, just a little late, just a little under it, just a little bit on top of it,” Rodgers said. “That’s why it’s the Major Leagues. It’s pretty hard to square a ball up.”

But in the eighth with the score tied, Rodgers gave the Rockies a chance with an opposite-way double to right field with the score tied.

The Rockies, however, didn’t take advantage. Rodgers stayed locked in, going to the third-base side of second base and making a crossfire throw to retire Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for the second out of the ninth inning -- before the D-backs scored the winning runs.

A breakout could happen at any time for any of the Rockies’ struggling hitters. With the team at 3-10, it would be best for all -- Bryant, the original No. 2 hitter, and Jones, who entered the year batting third -- to turn the corner at once. But maybe Rodgers is closest.

“There are good swings, and the last handful of games he’s fouling straight back,” manager Bud Black said before Wednesday’s game.

A Rodgers slow start has happened before. In 2022, Rodgers hit .078 in his first 14 games, but hit .347 in May and was solid until dealing with an injury and slumping in the final month. Rodgers missed most of last season with a left shoulder injury. The Rockies believe he can put together a full season of productivity on both sides of the ball in ‘24. There is time for the offense to show.

“I pride myself on not taking the offense out to the field,” Rodgers said. “If I keep putting together good, competitive at-bats, it should be a good road trip.”