SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies non-roster veteran Mark Reynolds should be over this Spring Training thing, but he says he’s OK with it.

Last year, he signed with the Nationals after the season began, was in the Majors a month later and hit two home runs in his first game. Reynolds' spring numbers aren’t scintillating -- .143, with two home runs and two doubles among his five hits. But re-meshing with a Rockies club that he spent 2016 and 2017 with has been fun.

“It was really nice not having to grind through spring last year – just go down to extended [spring training] for a couple days, then go to Triple-A for a few games,” Reynolds said. “[Spring Training is] pretty drawn-out, but it’s fun to be around the guys and get that chemistry going, not going to a new team fresh and not knowing anybody.”

Even with numbers no one would want on the back of his baseball card, the Rockies signed him for the purpose of occupying a key pinch-hit role, and as a first baseman should Daniel Murphy need time off. Roster management and trust for a veteran could point to Reynolds’ winning the season-opening job over Pat Valaika, who has hit .318 with four homers, going into Tuesday night's game against the Angels.

Reynolds batted .248 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs in 86 games with the Nationals last season, and put up a credible .258 with two homers in 31 pinch-hit at-bats. A starter for most of his career, including the two years that he was the Rockies’ main first baseman, Reynolds showed that he can prepare for off-the-bench at-bats.

While Valaika had a strong pinch-hit season in 2017, when as a rookie he led the Majors in pinch-hit RBIs with 16 and tied for the lead in pinch-hit homers with four, little went right last season, as he batted .156. And, while Reynolds isn’t bound to stay with the Rockies if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster, Valaika has Minor League options, which means he can be sent to Triple-A Albuquerque for regular at-bats until called upon. His successful 2017 came after a month of regular Triple-A playing time.

Rockies manager Bud Black has not made his final roster decisions. But in evaluating Reynolds, he is looking deeper than traditional production numbers.

“He’s not a lot different than what we saw last time he was here, ’17,” Black said. “I think he ended up getting some hits at the end that got his Spring Training average to .270. I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw that happen.

“Physically, he’s moving around great. He’s playing a good first base. He’s moving around well.”

More power to Trout

Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who signed for eight years and $260 million earlier this month, was quite happy for the Angels’ Mike Trout, who agreed to a deal for 12 years and $430 million, according to sources, on Tuesday.

“I think he is the best player in the game, and I think it’s a well-deserved contract,” Arenado said. “I’m very happy for him. It’s an unbelievable thing. He’s the greatest five-tool player the game has seen, probably, arguably.

“I don’t think anybody would say he doesn’t deserve that. If anything, they’d say he deserves more.”

Like Arenado, Trout signed with his team rather than test free agency. Did Arenado make re-upping cool?

“I can’t speak on that; if people are going off my contract, that’s great,” he said. “That’s what I got it for. Hopefully guys can beat it all for years to come. I’m not worried about setting records. If they’re going to go off that -- my arbitration deal ($26 million for 2019, before the long-term agreement happened) or my long-term deal, I’m more than happy about that. As long as they continue to beat it, that’s good for baseball.

“I don’t know if my signing had anything to do with it. You would have to ask Trout.”

Up next

Lefty Tyler Anderson will start against the Royals and righty Jorge Lopez on Wednesday night at 6:40 p.m. MST/7:40 MT. The game will air on MLB.TV.