SAN DIEGO -- Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez missed Sunday afternoon's 8-4 victory over the Padres, and considers his availability day to day because of a left shoulder injury he sustained while making an unsuccessful diving catch attempt in Saturday night's 5-0 loss at Petco Park, manager Bud Black said.
Gonzalez stayed in Saturday's game and had treatment afterward, but woke up in pain this morning.
"I shot a text when I woke up that I was pretty sore today," Gonzalez said. "It's the back of the shoulder, from hitting the ground really hard."
Gonzalez (.251 batting average, 13 homers, 54 RBIs) is the only player to have appeared in the postseason in a Rockies uniform (2009). He isn't sure of his availability for Monday night's game with the Marlins -- the opener of a six-game homestand. The Rockies are two games up on the Brewers and 2 1/2 over the Cardinals in the chase for the second National League Wild Card.
"It's just day to day -- hopefully I can play tomorrow ," Gonzalez said. "We'll keep doing the treatment, icing it and everything. We'll see where it goes. I don't think I can play right now, but we'll see tomorrow.
"It's fun. It's what it's all about, playing meaningful games. We have a great opportunity in front of us. At this point, nothing matters, just winning ballgames."
The Rockies were down, 1-0, in the sixth inning Saturday when Gonzalez dashed toward the foul line for Austin Hedges' fly ball. Gonzalez couldn't control the ball in the glove in his right hand, and his left arm took the brunt of the hard landing. Before the next pitch, third baseman Nolan Arenado visited pitcher Kyle Freeland to give Gonzalez extra time.
If there was a game to miss, Sunday was it. Gonzalez went 1-for-12 on the team's 2-4 road trip, and 0-for-9 with three walks and six strikeouts against the Padres. This season, he hit .214 with two home runs and six RBIs in 56 at-bats against San Diego, and he has a .232 career average with six homers and 24 RBIs in 237 at-bats at Petco Park.