Rockies activate INF Justin Morneau and LHP Boone Logan from 15-day DL; recall INF Cristhian Adames from Triple-A
Option INF Ben Paulsen, RHP Brooks Brown and RHP Chad Bettis
CHICAGO - The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club has activated infielder Justin Morneau and left-handed pitcher Boone Logan from the 15-day disabled list. In addition they have recalled infielder Cristhian Adames from Triple-A Colorado Springs. To create room on the active roster, the club has optioned infielder Ben Paulsen and right-handed pitchers Brooks Brown and Chad Bettis. Morneau, Logan and Adames (#10) will be available tonight for the Rockies against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field (6:05 p.m. MT).
Morneau, 33, has played in 89 games for the Rockies in his first year with the club. He has hit .312 (104-for-333) with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 13 home runs, 60 RBI and 38 runs and was a participant in this year's Gillette Home Run Derby. His .312 average is third-best in the National League, while his 60 RBI are tied for eighth-most. Morneau played in one rehab game with Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday and went 2-for-4 while playing 7.0 innings at first base. The four-time All-Star signed a two-year deal, plus a mutual option for 2016, with the Rockies on December 13, 2013. In 12 professional seasons with Minnesota (2003-13), Pittsburgh (2013) and Colorado (2014), the 2008 American League Most Valuable Player has hit .280 (1442-for-5159) with 313 doubles, 18 triples, 234 home runs, 923 RBI and 713 runs in 1392 games.
Logan, 29, has gone 2-1 with a 6.11 ERA (17.2 ip, 12 er), 8 walks and 25 strikeouts in 25 games in his first season with the Rockies in 2014. Logan is coming off his third DL-stint, as began the season on the DL (3/28-4/7) with left elbow inflammation, spent a month on DL (6/-7/5) again with left elbow inflammation before his current stint (7/21-28) on the DL with diverticulitis. Logan made a rehab appearance with Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday, tossing a scoreless inning. This is the left-handers ninth Major League season and he owns a career record of 26-13 with a 4.48 ERA (321.1 ip, 160 er), 140 walks and 329 strikeouts. The Rockies are his fourth MLB team having previously spent time with the New York Yankees (2010-13), Atlanta Braves (2009) and Chicago White Sox (2006-08).
Adames, 23, will make his Major League debut with his first appearance for the Rockies. Adames has split the season between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Colorado Springs, where combined he has hit .276 (96-for-348) with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 40 RBI and 45 runs. At Double-A he hit .276 (87-for-315) with 9 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs and 37 RBI in 84 games. At Triple-A he hit .273 (9-for-33) with 3 doubles and 3 RBI in nine games. The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic was originally signed by Colorado as a non-drafted free agent on September 13, 2007.
Paulsen, 26, made his Major League debut on July 21 against Washington and has gone 10-for-22 (.455) with four doubles, two RBI and three runs in seven games/six starts since. Prior to having his contact selected on that date, he spent the entire season with Triple-A Colorado Springs appearing in 95 games and hitting .291 (101-for-347) with 24 doubles, 6 triples, 15 home runs, 57 RBI and 62 runs. Out of Clemson University, Paulsen was a third round selection by Colorado in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.
Brown, 29, has pitched in nine games for Colorado since he had his contract selected from Colorado Springs on July 6. He has gone 0-1 with a 7.56 ERA (8.1 ip, 7 er) with six scoreless appearances. The right-hander was acquired by the Rockies as a free agent during the offseason and began the year in Colorado Springs making 31 relief appearances for the Sky Sox (1-0, 6 saves, 4.35 ERA, 39.1 ip, 19 er). Brooks was originally drafted out of the University of Georgia by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the supplemental first round (34th overall) of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.
Bettis, 25, has appeared in 21 games for the Rockies this season going 0-2 with a 9.12 ERA (24.2 ip, 25 er). He has made eight appearances in his most recent stint with Colorado after being recalled from Colorado Springs on June 30. The 6-foot-1 right-hander is 0-1 with a 10.05 ERA (14.1 ip, 16 er) in 13 games for the Rockies this year. In 37 career Major League games, including eight starts, Bettis is 1-5 with a 6.88 ERA (69.1 ip, 53 er), 30 walks and 43 strikeouts.
The Rockies currently have a full 40-man roster.