Rockies tab Flande to start Tuesday vs. Cubs

CHICAGO -- The Rockies will give left-hander Yohan Flande (0-1, 4.24 ERA) his first start of the season Tuesday night against the Cubs.

Flande was a starter at Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Albuquerque, and last season with the Rockies. The rotation spot is open because righty Chad Bettis is on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss called Flande the "best option." Some speculation centered on lefty John Lannan, who has Major League starting experience. But Lannan started the opener of a doubleheader Monday for Albuquerque.

Worth noting

• Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez earned co-National League Player of the Week honors as the possibility of a trade hangs in the air. A hefty contract ($37 million over 2016 and 2017) and past injuries to his fingers and left knee are obstacles (the Mets are considered a possible target, but someone such as the Reds' Jay Bruce doesn't cost as much), but the Rockies' constant need for pitching keeps the possibility alive.

Still, Gonzlez hit .476 with five home runs during the week, and shared the award with Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels, who no-hit the Cubs on Saturday.

"I just got to make sure I swing at strikes," Gonzalez said. "That's the only thing that goes through my mind. It's like Randy Johnson said when he was pitching. Everything he did was to throw strikes, and everything became easy for him because he threw a strike. For me, I have to swing at strikes. That's it."

• Infielder Trevor Story, a supplemental first-round pick in 2011 who has promoted to Triple-A in late June, was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week after hitting .500 (13-for-26) with four home runs, six doubles and 11 RBIs.

"Really, there's no big difference [between Double-A and Triple-A], I would say," Story told MiLB.com. "The only difference I've noticed is the pitchability that the guys have. They might not be overpowering, but they definitely know how to get you out."

Story, who is 6-1 with a sturdy body, is a shortstop by trade, but he has played second and third this season. Weiss saw Story in Spring Training and said he is unusually fluid for someone with such a muscular build.

"I saw him in Spring Training and said, 'Woah, that's a big body,'" Weiss said. "But he can play shortstop and everything I've heard from the player development people says the same thing. He doesn't look the part as far as the body type, but he makes very athletic plays."