Grichuk (450-foot HR) power factor wows Rox

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Randal Grichuk entered Spring Training believing a trade was his best chance to provide the impact he expects -- and what the Blue Jays wanted when they signed him for five years and $52 million heading into 2019.

Little did Grichuk know that he’d feel so at home in his new home with the Rockies.

Grichuk, obtained in Thursday's trade with Toronto in exchange for outfielder Raimel Tapia, ingratiated himself to his new team by swatting a 450-foot home run to left field in the fifth inning of the Rockies’ 8-7 victory over the Rangers on Saturday afternoon at Salt River Fields.

Grichuk, who flashed the right-handed power swing the Rockies were coveting, spends his offseason in Scottsdale, training at the Helix facility. Some of his workout buddies are Garrett Hampson, Dom Nuñez, Ryan Rolison and Austin Gomber.

“I always joked about it being the Helix Rockies, and now I can add to that list,” Grichuk said.

Grichuk has hit 22 or more homers in the last five complete seasons played. He was expected to be part of the future for the rising Blue Jays club, but the arrival of George Springer and development of other young stars led to a crowded outfield situation. But with Toronto needing speed and batting average (Tapia), and Colorado wanting to add power to the outfield (beyond the $182 million signing of Kris Bryant), a match was made.

And those Rockies who didn’t already know Grichuk learned why the club wanted him when he clubbed right-hander Kohei Arihara’s slider for his second spring homer.

“Some of these guys might now know who I am,” Grichuk said with a smile. “Hopefully, you can come in here and show them that I can help the team win, defensively and offensively.”

Manager Bud Black said, “He had a couple good swings -- hard ground ball to short, hit it on the nose, good sinker. He got a hanging breaking ball and that’s what he does. That’s good to see. It’s good for him.”

In addition to being a swap of players whose talents meet their new team’s roster vision better than their old one, the trade also gives two streaky players new surroundings to find consistency. Grichuk, 30, who said former Rockies standout Dante Bichette (a Blue Jays Major League coach last year) offered valuable counsel, believes a consistent approach is the key.

“If anybody’s been in the box in a big league game, you definitely understand that one pitch could completely change your mindset … there are tons of at-bats where you don’t swing at the first pitch, and that happens,” Grichuk said. “You’ve got to be prepared and be ready to go, and that the approach you thought going into the box is good throughout the at-bat.”

Pitching sharp, pitching smart

Gomber’s first spring outing was solid -- three innings with three strikeouts and two hits, one a Jake Marisnick solo homer. The first inning, which began with looking strikeouts of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, showed a sharpness to the left-hander’s pitches.

“We’re all Major Leaguers here, right? So, we feel we can go out there and get the job done right away,” said Gomber, who simulated innings in preparation for camp’s late start. “Be smart about what we’re doing and make sure we’re going to be ready for six months.

“If we we’re only able to throw 80 pitches in our first start, the first start is not going to be the most important start of the year. It’s doing it 30 times and giving the team a chance to win.”

Kuhl’s debut not so sharp

Righty Chad Kuhl, who signed a one-year, $3 million deal as a free agent, gave up three runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings in his first spring appearance.

“Stuff was good -- what we expected with velocity, used all his secondary pitches, showed some good sliders, a couple good curveballs,” Black said. “Maybe the command was a little spotty with the fastball, but it was his first outing.”

Education continues

Righty Julian Fernández, who during a late-season callup last year uncorked the five fastest pitches in Rockies history, gave up a ninth-inning homer to Zach Reks, but he showed progress by finishing a strikeout of Ezequiel Duran with a changeup.

“The changeup has potential,” Black said. “We’d like to see him get a breaking ball in there, too. There are some things we have to polish up.”

Fernández noted before the game that he is developing a breaking ball.

In the mix

Black has not named a closer, even though free-agent signee Alex Colomé has a track record in the role. Carlos Estévez, who has had a couple trials as a closer, threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts on Friday.