Rockies select contract of outfielder Rafael Ortega

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club has selected the contract of outfielder Rafael Ortega. To make room on the 40-man roster for Ortega, the club has also transferred left-handed pitcher Jonathan Sanchez to the 60-day disabled list. Ortega (#47) will be in uniform and available in today’s game at Los Angeles.

Ortega, 21, will be making his first appearance on a Major League roster. The Venezuela native hit .283 (140-for-495) with 23 doubles, 8 triples, 8 home runs, 60 RBI, 36 stolen bases and 81 runs scored in 114 games for High-A Modesto this season. Ortega has made four stops in the Rockies minor league system in his five years of professional baseball. Playing primarily center field, Ortega has a career average of .304 (519-for-1706) with 77 doubles, 29 triples, 25 home runs, 221 RBI, 147 stolen bases and 310 runs in 420 games.

Sanchez, 29, has made three starts for the Rockies this season, going 0-3 with a 9.53 ERA (11.1 ip, 12 er), nine walks, nine strikeouts. Between Colorado and Kansas City this season, Sanchez is 1-9 with an 8.07 ERA (64.2 ip, 58 er) in 15 starts. The left-hander has a career Major League record of 39-55 with a 4.58 ERA (772.2 ip, 393 er), 429 walks and 781 strikeouts in parts of seven seasons with San Francisco (2006-11), Kansas City (2012) and Colorado (2012). Sanchez was acquired by Colorado on July 19 from Kansas City in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie.

The Rockies currently have a full 40-man roster.