Goodman solidifying playing time with homer barrage

DENVER -- Rockies rookie Hunter Goodman drew on his recall powers when he faced the Diamondbacks’ Blake Walston on Tuesday night.

“I faced him two or three weeks ago when I was in Triple-A, so I had an idea of what he was throwing,” Goodman said.

But what may have been more valuable was Goodman’s muscle memory, since he’s been powering home runs frequently. Goodman hit his fourth home run in his last four games, a solo shot in the Rockies’ 8-2 victory over the Diamondbacks at Coors Field.

With wins the last two nights, the Rockies have been party poopers for the Diamondbacks, who are in a National League Wild Card position but don’t need the losses. But for the Rockies, Tuesday was a party.

Manager Bud Black received a clubhouse beer and shaving cream shower for earning his 535th win to surpass Clint Hurdle for tops in franchise history. Doing the dousing were players who have been with the organization through every one of Black's wins -- Charlie Blackmon, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, Ryan McMahon and Germán Márquez.

Right-hander Ryan Feltner was able to celebrate his changing fortune. Although the team has won his last five starts and his overall numbers are solid, it was just his third win this season and his first at Coors Field since Aug. 9, 2022. He had gone a club-record 21 starts at home without a win.

And the way Goodman is hitting, every day is a potential party.

He had two homers, including a grand slam, and seven RBIs Friday night against the Cubs and homered in victories over the Diamondbacks on Monday and Tuesday.

“It’s all about timing pitches up and putting good swings on pitches that he’s on time with,” Black said. “Whether it’s off-speed pitches or fastballs, he’s in the box with a lot of confidence.”

In his 23-game debut last season, Goodman batted .200 in 70 at-bats, but eight of his 14 hits were for extra bases, and he drove in 17 runs. The Rockies liked his power enough to give him a chance to make the team in Spring Training.

Goodman, however, fell into the trap of trying too hard to impress and was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque. But the experience was a valuable lesson in learning perspective.

“I’m married now,” said Goodman, whose wife’s name is Sidney. “I try to leave everything at the field. I used to not be very good at that, but over the last year I’ve tried. Whether I go home and find a good movie to watch with her, or play some video games with some buddies back home, I try to get my mind off the baseball field.

“I don’t want to have her go through me being upset after a bad game or something.”

The newlyweds have needed to be flexible this season.

The Rockies promoted Goodman -- who has 80 homers in 294 Minor League games since being chosen in the fourth round out of the University of Memphis in 2021, but is rightfully cherishing his 13 in the Majors this year -- after a dominant start in Albuquerque.

But veterans Elias Díaz and Jacob Stallings held the catching spots, and other routes to the field were blocked. Blackmon, Kris Bryant, Jake Cave and Michael Toglia received most of the action in right field, and Toglia ran away with the first-base job after Bryant could not stay healthy.

From his initial recall on April 24 until he was optioned on Aug. 14 -- as the Rockies got their first Major League look at 2020 first-round pick and team No. 8 MLB Pipeline prospect Drew Romo -- Goodman appeared in 54 games (43 starts) and batted .177 with eight homers.

However, since returning with the Sept. 1 roster expansion, Goodman has batted .257, with homers on five of his nine hits.

The Rockies are using pregame time to work with Romo, 23, on all aspects. But Goodman has made himself a gametime fixture, whether behind the plate or, as was the case Tuesday, as designated hitter.

The Rockies and Stallings will have to work out his return (there is a mutual option). If so, Romo and Goodman could be competing to join Stallings in the tandem. Goodman has shown that catcher is his best spot, but he will continue to work at his other positions just in case.

For now, power is giving Goodman regular opportunities.

“Seeing pitches every day is always nice,” Goodman said. “You are ready at all times. You get a better sense of timing.”