For the third time this season, the Colorado Rockies will be without their Gold Glove second baseman, DJ LeMahieu. The Rockies placed the former All-Star on the 10-day DL with an oblique injury suffered against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday night.
After flying out in two at-bats, LeMahieu was pulled from the contest in the third inning. The oblique injury is the latest in a frustrating season that has included stints on the DL for hamstring and thumb injuries, costing him a total of 23 games. He also dealt with back stiffness before the All-Star break.
In his absence, the Rockies have called up infielder Garrett Hampson, the club’s No. 6 prospect. Hampson has been productive in the minors this year, hitting .304 in Double-A Hartford and .306 in Triple-A Albuquerque.
Hampson’s biggest asset is his speed, as he has totaled 33 stolen bases between the two levels in 2018. Pat Valaika, who replaced LeMahieu Friday night, could also see a boost in playing time.
