Tovar helps Rockies dent D-backs' playoff drive

DENVER -- Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar popped another home run for his impressive 2024 stat line, and filed away information for games that matter. The Rockies hope that is sooner than later.

Tovar’s fourth-inning homer pierced the preeminence of Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. It helped spark the Rockies' hang-in-there effort in Monday's 3-2 walk-off victory at Coors Field.

“He struck me out twice, and he’s a really good pitcher,” Tovar said in Spanish, with Edwin Perez translating. “My mentality entering that at-bat was I really need to hit the ball really hard. Thankfully for me I was able to get that home run.”

Tovar’s homer was his 24th of the season, which tied Michael Toglia for the team lead. Also, Tovar has 43 doubles, a record for a Rockies shortstop. As a comparison, the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. also has 43 doubles. Of players with that many doubles, the only one with more homers is Witt (32).

That’s a personal statement easily backed by the stat sheet. But Tovar and his Rockies mates also want the result to be the beginning of another statement, even if the baseball world is not listening.

The Diamondbacks hold the second National League Wild Card spot by one game over the Mets. Last year, the Diamondbacks gloriously marched to the World Series before losing to the Rangers.

But just two short seasons ago, the Diamondbacks and Rockies were basement brethren, fourth and fifth in the National League West. But the Diamondbacks drafted well and added veterans to become contenders quickly, while the Rockies went through a youth movement that is still painful at 58-93.

But Tovar wants the Rockies and Diamondbacks to be twinsies again.

“The goal is to be just like them over there,” Tovar said.

Since July 1, the Rockies are a much more respectable 30-38. Even more, they’ve accelerated the transition to youth. Monday night served as an example.

Veteran Antonio Senzatela made his first start in the Majors since May 10, 2023, and began by yielding a Corbin Carroll triple and Ketel Marte’s 32nd homer of the season. Senzatela held his own for the rest of his three innings plus two batters. The rest of the way, rookies Anthony Molina (who needed just 20 pitches for three innings), Luis Peralta and Seth Halvorsen (2-0) held a strong lineup scoreless on four total hits.

Another rookie, Hunter Goodman, tied the game with his third homer in three games and 12th in 64 games this season. Goodman’s shot came with two out in the seventh off reliever Kevin Ginkel.

Game-deciding plays also came from second-year men. Tovar, 23, put the Rockies in the game with his home run. Brenton Doyle, 26, singled off Ryan Thompson and stole second to put himself in position to score the winning run on Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo’s throwing error.

“Doyle, two hits, Tovar a home run, Goodman a home run -- those were our four hits,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Kelly’s good. He’s come back after a stint on the [injured] list. He’s a really good pitcher.”

If the Rockies make up ground next season or shortly thereafter, Tovar figures to be part of the reason – the way shortstops Walt Weiss, Troy Tulowitzki and Trevor Story fueled postseason teams past. Tovar has matched Tulowitzki (2007) and Story (2016), as well as catcher Wilin Rosario (2012) as the only Rockies age 23 or younger to hit at least 23 homers in a season.

Now for Tovar’s future.

Tovar didn’t turn 23 until Aug. 1, so in stat parlance this is his age 22 season. That means Tovar is the seventh shortstop all-time to have 40 doubles in a season before his age 23 season. Others are Cory Seager (40 with the Dodgers in 2016), Hanley Ramirez (46, 2006 Marlins), Alex Rodriguez (40, 1997 Mariners; 54, 1996 Mariners), Cal Ripken Jr. (47, 1983 Orioles), Lou Boudreau (46, 1940 Cleveland) and Arky Vaughan (41, 1934 Pirates).

Tovar’s opposite-way homer to right field came on a slider that Kelly left over the middle of the plate. Tovar also has driven pitches off the plate away for extra bases. But chasing similar but harder-to-hit pitches has led to 186 strikeouts and a .291 on-base percentage that needs to offer more separation from his .264 batting average.

“I’m happy with the way I’m continuing to improve, continuing to get the ball out and make good contact,” he said. “But during this offseason I need to continue to work on being selective with the pitches I swing at, and being better at recognizing those pitches.”