Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Improved K%, but slow start
Rotowire
Montero is slashing .205/.265/.227 with zero home runs, two runs and two RBI through 13 games.
He has been playing regularly at first base and his 16.3 percent strikeout rate is a massive improvement over the 36.2 percent strikeout rate he logged in 85 games last year. It looks like his plate skills may have improved, but he may need to start producing soon in order to hold onto his starting role.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Late scratch Monday
Rotowire
Montero was scratched from Monday's lineup against the Phillies.
Montero was initially slated to start at second base and bat fifth against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Instead, Alan Trejo will draw the start at second base and bat ninth in the lineup.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Not in lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Montero is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks.
After sitting out Sunday against the Rays, Montero rejoined the starting lineup at first base for the series opener Monday, when he finished 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly. He's had a slow start to the season, slashing .160/.241/.160 with one RBI and no extra-base hits over 29 plate appearances. Kris Bryant will start at first base Tuesday and hit fifth against Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Bows out of lineup
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.
Montero will move to the bench for the series finale after going 2-for-8 between Friday's 10-7 win and Saturday's 8-6 loss. After sitting out Saturday while battling back tightness, Kris Bryant will make his return to the lineup Sunday in Montero's usual spot at designated hitter.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sits in second straight game
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.
Montero started the Rockies' first five games of the season but slashed just .143/.294/.143 with three walks and three strikeouts over those contests. He's on the bench Wednesday for the second day in a row and looks to be in danger of falling into a part-time role in the wake of his poor start to the season.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Taking seat Tuesday
Rotowire
Montero is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs.
Montero started each of the first five games this season, but he'll take a seat for the sixth contest. Charlie Blackmon will be in the designated hitter spot, Kris Bryant will play right field and Michael Toglia will handle first base.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Everyday player so far
Rotowire
Montero will serve as the Rockies' designated hitter and No. 8 batter in Monday's game against the Cubs, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.
Montero has now started each of the Rockies' first five games of the season, with three starts coming at DH and two at first base. Charlie Blackmon has been playing more right field than expected early on and Kris Bryant not being confined to first base has allowed Montero everyday at-bats thus far. He has just two hits, but a 3:3 K:BB is encouraging for a player who drew just 15 walks all of last season.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: May get looks at DH
Rotowire
Montero may be forcing his way into the lineup with his performance this spring, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Montero is projected to be on the Opening Day roster, though his fit in the starting lineup is unclear. He'd likely gain at-bats at designated hitter due to his defensive deficiencies, which would in turn push Charlie Blackmon to the outfield while endangering Sean Bouchard's playing time. Montero has displayed a familiar profile this spring, as he's posted an impressive .333 ISO but is still striking out at a 27 percent clip.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Making case for playing time
Rotowire
Montero started at first base and went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Cubs, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Montero has shown intriguing power throughout his minor-league career and has flashed potential across 492 big-league plate appearances. He's gotten off to a strong start this spring, ripping two home runs across 13 plate appearances while striking out only twice. Montero likely has an advantage in the competition for a bench spot on the roster because he is out of minor-league options, though he could also push for at-bats at either first base or designated hitter if he continues to show well this spring.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Strong September continues
Rotowire
Montero went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Friday against the Twins.
Montero made his lone hit of the day count, and he now has three home runs in his last four games. His strong hitting has extended further, as he's gone deep five times across 25 games in September. Importantly, he's also shown improved plate discipline by maintaining a 26.7 percent strikeout rate and 6.9 percent walk rate in that same span.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Smacks homer in three-hit game
Rotowire
Montero went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, a walk and four total runs scored in Thursday's 14-5 win over the Dodgers.
This was arguably Montero's base game of the year from a fantasy perspective. He's logged six three-hit efforts, four of which have come since Aug. 15. The infielder is at a .247/.294/.417 slash line with nine homers, 37 RBI, 37 runs scored, 15 doubles and no stolen bases through 82 contests overall.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Strong showing across doubleheader
Rotowire
Montero went 3-for-7 with a home run and two RBI across both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Dodgers.
Montero was one of the few bright spots of the second game of the doubleheader when he slugged his eighth home run of the season. He's held a consistent role between first base and designated hitter since Sept. 1, and he's maintained a .299 average with three home runs, nine RBI and 14 runs scored across 77 at-bats. He has a 29.9 percent strikeout rate in that span, but it's been a relatively encouraging close to the campaign for Montero.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: On bench Saturday
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup Saturday versus the Cubs.
Montero will be on the bench for the second time since Wednesday. Prior to that, the 25-year-old had started in 18 consecutive games in which he slashed .306/.389/.484. However, after Friday's game, the infielder is 1-for-12 in the last three. Hunter Goodman will take his place in the lineup Saturday.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Not in Wednesday's lineup
Rotowire
Montero is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game in San Diego, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
It's the first day off this month for Montero, who is 3-for-17 with 11 strikeouts over his last four contests. Kris Bryant is handling first base Wednesday.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Notches three hits in loss
Rotowire
Montero went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Giants.
Montero has hit safely in seven of nine games in September, and three of them have been multi-hit efforts. The infielder is 11-for-28 (.393) this month with a home run, three doubles and three RBI. For the season, he's slashing .243/.289/.402 with six homers, 29 RBI, 28 runs scored and 12 doubles across 232 plate appearances. He's seeing consistent playing time between first base and designated hitter as the Rockies evaluate younger players toward the tail end of a lost season.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Showing improvement
Rotowire
Montero went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk Saturday against the Giants.
Montero has taken over as Colorado's primary first baseman following the demotion of Michael Toglia, and he's started seven of eight games since Sept. 1. In that span, he's collected eight hits across 24 at-bats and more importantly, has dropped his strikeout rate to 20.7 percent. Hunter Goodman could be a threat to Montero's playing time, but to this point, the Rockies have used Goodman primarily as an outfielder.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Draws third straight start
Rotowire
Montero will start at first base and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Montero will pick up his third consecutive start Sunday, this time facing off against right-hander Kevin Gausman after he had previously re-entered the lineup versus a pair of southpaws to begin the series with Toronto. Following his call-up from Triple-A Albuquerque last weekend, Hunter Goodman had displaced Montero as the team's everyday first baseman, but manager Bud Black has now deployed Goodman at designated hitter and in right field for the rookie's last two starts. With Michael Toglia now sitting out for a third straight game and Goodman getting looks elsewhere, Montero looks like he'll settle back in as the Rockies' primary first baseman. Montero enters Sunday's contest with a .417/.488/.694 slash line over his past 11 contests.
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Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Gets back into lineup
Rotowire
Montero went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored Friday against the Blue Jays.
Montero had been the odd man out in the competition with Hunter Goodman for playing time at first base, sitting out the prior five games. However, he got the start Friday and delivered a two-run homer in the third inning. Montero has displayed an all-or-nothing skillset, as he has three homers in his last 13 games but has struck out at a 32.6 percent clip as well.
Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Sitting in third straight
Rotowire
Montero is out of the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta.
Montero is on the bench for the third consecutive game. He looks like he could be the odd man out of the lineup for the time being while the Rockies get a look at rookie Hunter Goodman in an everyday role at first base.
