LeMahieu to undergo MRI on knee sprain

LOS ANGELES -- Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu will undergo an MRI on Monday to assess the damage in his sprained left knee, the Rockies said Saturday.

Rockies head athletic trainer Keith Dugger said he does not believe the injury will require surgery, but the club has ordered an MRI to make sure. LeMahieu reported that he had difficulty walking because of pain.

LeMahieu sustained the injury sliding to field a ground ball during Friday night's 7-4 loss, and left the game when he could not push off the leg. LeMahieu, a Rawlings Gold Glove Award candidate, will end the season with a .267 batting average, five home runs, 42 RBIs, a .315 on-base percentage and a .348 slugging percentage in 149 games.

Nolan Arenado, the defending Gold Glove winner at third, and LeMahieu are considered the Rockies' legitimate candidates for Gold Gloves.

While the glove was consistently special, LeMahieu had better hitting before the All-Star break (.282, .351 OBP) than after (.246, .280). LeMahieu is called upon to handle the bat in the No. 8 spot in the order.

"He's establishing himself as a very steady, reliable player in this league, and there's a lot to be said for that," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "You're going to see him get better and better offensively. You're going to see him slug a little bit more -- I'm not talking about home runs, I'm talking about doubles. You're going to see him hit for a higher average. I believe that because of his instincts, his baseball instincts."