DENVER -- Ryan McMahon wasn’t any happier than any of his teammates with Sunday’s 12-6 loss to the D-backs, a ghastly affair that featured nine walks by Rockies pitchers and as many stolen bases (six) by Arizona as hits for Colorado.
But it was a strong penultimate homestand of 2022 overall, with the Rockies (61-80) going 4-2 against the Wild Card contending Brewers (75-66) and the D-backs (66-73).
“It’s not the way we wanted to finish it, but you can’t be too mad when you win both series,” McMahon said.
More importantly, McMahon had a strong finish to a week during which the Rockies routinely flashed their power.
McMahon’s two-run eighth-inning homer off reliever Ian Kennedy -- which banged off the facing of the second deck in right field and was caught in the cap of an alert young man -- was the team’s 14th over the six games. McMahon himself knocked three, two of which came in Friday night’s 13-10 walk-off over the D-backs.
Projectors expected little from Colorado this season, and they’ve been validated by the team’s last-place status in the National League West. But the Rockies felt they had enough power threats that, combined with decent pitching, would have made them contenders. Missing Kris Bryant for all but 42 games certainly impeded those plans. Even more, other than C.J. Cron (28 homers), nearly everyone has slugged at a rate below expected.
McMahon, with 16, has a chance to move out of the “below expectations” category. He hit five while batting .311 in August, and has three in September. It’s at least conceivable he can approach his previous best totals -- 24 in 2019, 23 last season. A jump was naturally counted upon when he signed a six-year, $70 million contract extension during Spring Training.
Extended struggles defined McMahon’s first four months of 2022, as Colorado dropped out of playoff relevance. But the contract shows that the Rockies believed McMahon will be part of better rosters for them in the future, and he’s finishing the season producing.
“It’s not really changing anything [about my swing], it’s just getting it off the right way, instead of getting too big and trying to hit homers,” McMahon said.
McMahon’s single on a 2-2 fastball to lead off the fourth was the beginning of the Rockies ending D-backs starter Zac Gallen’s club-record scoreless streak at 44 1/3 innings -- seventh longest in AL/NL history. Cron singled to drive in McMahon, and rookie Elehuris Montero’s two-run double cut Arizona’s early lead to 4-3.
The controlled swing against Gallen was a preview of McMahon’s smooth home run swing against Kennedy.
“He’s working on it,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “It’s been a constant, to try to get there, to shorten that swing. He’s got power within that shorter swing.
“It doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t happen within months or years sometimes. But he’s aware, and you see, at times, shorter strokes. That’s where he needs to gain that trust, that it’s OK to have that type of swing, because he’s got strength and can still generate power in that shorter swing.”
The next generation of Rockies offensive players has started to arrive, with Montero and Michael Toglia playing regularly. The bigger influx has yet to hit Triple-A, which is why realistically, the corner-turning may not be until 2024 and beyond.
But the Rockies’ way is to try to define such timelines. Signing players like McMahon, Cron, Bryant and catcher Elias Díaz, as well as trading for Randal Grichuk, gives Colorado a chance to catch some lightning if they all find their power at once (provided the club can pitch better than in 2022).
McMahon would love to contribute by providing his team with a noteworthy homer total.
“That’s the goal, do it every day for a full season,” McMahon said. “You guys have seen this from me before. I’ve seen it myself. My teammates have seen it. The next step is doing it more consistently.”