DENVER -- When the Rockies signed reliever Bryan Shaw to a three-year, $27 million contract in the offseason, they saw his role as being the guy in tight games to get the ball to Adam Ottavino or Wade Davis with the Rockies' lead intact.
Halfway through Shaw's first season in Colorado, he hasn't performed that role the way the Rockies initially thought he would. After he is activated from the disabled list (right calf strain), there might be a change in what the Rockies expect the right-hander to do.
"Every game will dictate how we use our bullpen," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "But, probably, the role that we thought Bryan would fulfill at the start of the year -- if that type of game comes up -- you might not see him in that game."
At Triple-A Albuquerque for rehab assignment, Shaw pitched in two games -- an inning each. His first, on Friday, wasn't much of an improvement of his outings before being put on the DL: two hits, two runs and one home run. On Sunday, his second outing, he fared much better, with three ground balls and only one walk.
Black did not have a timetable as to when Shaw would be activated from the DL.
"Everything was good, but I got tired," Shaw said about his first outing. "You throw bullpens and live BP, but obviously it's not a game, so that was my first outing in like 10-11 days. But before that, everything was good, everything was down, and then obviously the next outing, much better. Three ground balls, that's what I'm looking for."
Shaw insisted that his problem was that he wasn't healthy before being put on the DL on June 24. As much as he tried to not let the calf strain -- one that flared up again after getting hurt during Spring Training -- affect him, his body naturally tried to compensate for it.
"The strain early on, that may have adjusted things a little bit, some of the mechanics," Shaw said. "You try to adjust it in a negative way, try to fix it and get through it. Obviously, it didn't really work."
In the Rockies' clubhouse on Tuesday, Shaw asserted that he's healthy now, and that he will keep his mechanics where they need to be. Then, he can step back into his expected role for the Rockies' bullpen.
Dahl hitting again
Rockies outfielder David Dahl hit in the batting cages at Coors Field on Tuesday. Dahl is coming back from a broken right foot that landed him on the DL on June 1.

"Dahl is improving," Black said. "He hit in the cage today, and he might hit on the field. He's getting better. Foot feels better."