ST. PETERSBURG -- Few doubted Pat Valaika would return to the Rockies; it was only a question of when. And while it’s doubtful many would’ve guessed the answer to that would be four games into the regular season, Valaika isn’t complaining.

“It’s crazy how this game works,” he said Monday prior to Colorado’s series opener against the Rays. “I’m very excited to be back, and I’m just going to help the team any way I can.”

The Rockies recalled Valaika from Triple-A Albuquerque shortly after learning Daniel Murphy had fractured his left index finger during Saturday’s game against the Marlins. The hope is that Valaika -- who had a scorching spring -- can provide infield depth as Colorado’s starting first baseman recovers.

“Pat did have a good spring, and we think that he’s going to figure in at some point this year to be a contributor,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “It’s just a little earlier than we hoped, with Murph.”

This spring, Valaika showcased some of the off-the-bench pop that endeared him to Rockies fans in 2017, when he led the Majors with 16 pinch-hit RBIs. The 26-year-old clubbed three homers in two days during Cactus League play and finished with a .286 average and 13 RBIs in 21 games. For a while, it seemed as though the hitting woes of 2018 were behind him.

Optioned March 23, Valaika reported to Triple-A undeterred, ready to make a maximum impact for whatever team would have him.

“I don’t know if disappointment was the right word,” he said. “I wanted to break with the [Rockies], but I didn’t, and it was just the reality of it. I wasn’t mad or anything, I just kind of took it as, 'OK, this is where this year starts,' and I kind of figured out it wouldn’t end [in Triple-A].”

He just didn’t figure the phone would ring so soon.

Dome, sweet dome?
Monday marked the Rockies’ first trip to Tropicana Field in 15 years, and players were on the field by early afternoon, testing the artificial turf and sighting popups against the dome’s roof -- a problem notorious among visiting teams.

Prior to the season, the Rays unveiled new LED lights throughout the ballpark, including blue lights on the roof, a measure they hoped would help defenders be better able to pick up the ball.

“We talked about it in our [pre-warmup] meeting … and we’ve just got to keep our eye on the ball,” Black said. “Certain parks that you’re familiar with, outfielders can get on the run and put their head up and find the ball. Here, it’s a little dicier.”

Walking wounded
• Murphy was slated to see a hand specialist Monday afternoon on the West Coast.

• Jon Gray is fine after departing Sunday’s start early with two outs in the seventh inning. “I think it was just an old-school cramp,” Black said.

Rox hand out awards
Colorado announced right-hander Peter Lambert won its 2018 Doug Million Minor League Player of the Year Award. Lambert, the No. 4 prospect in the Rockies’ organization per MLB Pipeline, went 10-7 with a 3.28 ERA in 26 starts between Double- and Triple-A. He struck out 106 and walked 27.

In addition, Fred Ocasio, the supervisor of development at Class A Short-Season Boise, received the P.J. Carey Player Development Award. Ocasio managed Class A Advanced Lancaster to its seventh consecutive playoff berth, the longest active streak in the Minor Leagues.

Did you know?
Entering Monday, the Rockies had never won a game at Tropicana Field. … They’ve visited just once, a three-game set from June 11-13, 2004.