CHICAGO — Carlos Gonzalez’s season of misery continues.
The Rockies’ right fielder didn’t start Wednesday’s game against the Cubs. Not because he was legweary after Tuesday night’s 16-inning, six-hour, 27-minute game. All of his teammates felt that way. Rather, it’s because he’s still hobbled by a set of bad wheels.
CarGo turned his ankle at home Saturday morning, and he has been hobbled since. Moreover, the injury is aggravating the lingering tendinitis in his left knee.
“I’m hanging in there,” Gonzalez said. “My ankle is getting a little better each day. But now that my right ankle hurts, I’m favoring it and I’m putting pressure on my left knee. I’m trying to avoid that pain on my ankle.”
Gonzalez remains in a funk at the plate. He’s hitting just .243, with a .294 on-base percentage. He has struck out 64 times and walked just 17 times.
Rotation in motion. Rookie lefty Tyler Matzek, originally scheduled to start Thursday afternoon’s game at Wrigley Field, will be bumped back a couple of days in the rotation. Manager Walt Weiss said Matzek won’t miss an entire turn, but will get a day or two off. Weiss hasn’t decided exactly how he will juggle the rotation.
Matzek came on in emergency relief in the 16th inning of Tuesday’s game and threw 16 pitches. He took the loss, giving up one run on one hit and a walk. Weiss said Matzek volunteered to be the last-gasp reliever.
Roster moves. After using all eight relievers Tuesday night, the Rockies recalled right-hander Rob Scahill from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned rookie infielder Cristhian Adames. Adames had been called up Tuesday, and made his major-league debut at shortstop, going 0-for-3.
DJ payback. Second baseman DJ LaMahieu isn’t the kind of man to hold a grudge, but he sure fares well against the Cubs, the team that traded him to Colorado in December 2011. LeMahieu entered Wednesday’s game hitting 14-for-37 (.378) with three doubles, a triple and a homer against the Cubs, who drafted him in the second round in 2009.
Looking ahead
Rockies’ Pedro Hernandez (2014 debut) at Cubs’ Jake Arrieta (5-2, 2.18 ERA), 12:20 p.m. Thursday, no TV; 850 AM
Fourteen and counting. Lefty Pedro Hernandez will be called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs for the final game of the four-game set against the Cubs. The 25-year-old from Venezuela will become the 14th starting pitcher the Rockies have used, the most by any team in the majors this season. Hernandez has limited major-league experience. He has pitched in 15 games (13 starts) with the Twins and White Sox, going 3-4 with a 7.57 ERA. He’s 6-6 with a 6.14 ERA with the Sky Sox this season, serving up 10 homers.
Friday: Rockies’ Franklin Morales (5-5, 5.18 ERA) at Tigers’ Justin Verlander (9-9, 4.79), 5:08 p.m., ROOT
Saturday: Rockies’ Yohan Flande (0-3, 6.08) at Tigers’ Rick Porcello (12-5, 3.24), 5:08 p.m., ROOT
Sunday: Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (11-6, 4.20) at Tigers’ Anibal Sanchez (7-5, 3.57), 11:08 a.m., ROOT
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
