NEW YORK (AP) Mark Reynolds was cut by the Colorado Rockies two home runs shy of 300 after hitting .170 with four homers and 20 RBIs in limited at-bats.
The 35-year-old infielder returned for his second stint with the Rockies in March, agreeing to a $1 million, one-year deal. He had just 135 at-bats in 78 games and was designated for assignment on Sunday in a flurry of roster moves by Colorado, which had lost 13 of its previous 15 games.
”Kind of a punch in the gut,” Reynolds said. ”It’s tough to be consistent when you don’t get consistent at-bats. I knew the role I signed up for; I knew what my role was on this team. It was just one of those things where I could never get going.”
A 13-year veteran, Reynolds said he will return home to assess whether or not he’d attempt to continue his playing career. He was a key member of Colorado’s 2017 wild-card team, hitting 30 homers with 97 RBIs to guide the Rockies to the first postseason appearance in eight seasons.
”Mark never really got on track, especially the last couple of months,” manager Bud Black said. ”He’s been a great pro. He’s had a great career.”
”We’re going to miss Mark,” Black added. ”Change in this game is inevitable, and we had to make these moves for the present.”
Colorado recalled right-hander Jeff Hoffman from Albuquerque, selected the contract of left-hander Sam Howard from the Triple-A farm team and optioned Antonio Senzatela to the Isotopes, a day after the right-hander allowed six runs and lasted just 1 1/3 innings in an 11-5 loss to the New York Yankees. Senzatela allowed 21 earned runs with six walks and six strikeouts in his past three outings.
Hoffman, 26, begins his third stint with the team and has allowed 25 earned runs over seven starts with the Rockies. He was 6-5 with a 7.32 ERA with Albuquerque, and Black said Hoffman will pitch in relief.
Howard was dropped from Colorado’s 40-man roster during the offseason and the 26-year-old was 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA over 36 appearances with the Isotopes.
”We needed some reinforcements for our bullpen,” Black said. ”The pitching has been taxed over the last few weeks, and especially late, especially the last couple of days.”
In its first nine games since the All-Star break, Colorado’s bullpen allowed 36 earned runs in 39 1/3 innings for an 8.24 ERA.
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