DENVER -- When the Rockies didn’t re-sign DJ LeMahieu and went with Ryan McMahon during the winter, the thought was they’d take a step back at second base but still could compete for a postseason spot.

But as Colorado continues to sink -- its 11-8 loss to the Giants on Wednesday at Coors Field completed a damaging four-game sweep and 2-5 homestand out of the break -- the club is getting closer to thinking more of the future. And in that vein, McMahon appears to have a good one.

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“Personally, I’m happy with the direction I’m going, but tough homestand -- and that’s more the focus than anything else right now,” McMahon said.

McMahon doubled and added a two-run homer during a 2-for-4 performance, plus had a couple solid fielding plays. It wasn’t enough to uphold righty Jon Gray, who entered with a 3.24 ERA at Coors Field, but gave up six runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings -- while pitching with a stomach bug that Gray said “couldn’t come at a worse time.”

But McMahon is finding his form.

McMahon's double was part of a two-run second, and his ninth homer of the season came during the fourth, a two-run shot off Giants righty Shaun Anderson.

The other highlights were defensive -- a slick pickup of a Kevin Pillar grounder and strong throw to start a first-inning double play to hold the deficit to 3-0, and a wide range to the left to get a forceout at second on Pablo Sandoval’s grounder in the fifth. It was largely forgotten when the next batter, Stephen Vogt, launched a two-run homer for a 5-4 Giants lead.

McMahon is not DJ, who will greet his old team when the Rockies head to Yankee Stadium to begin a three-game series on Friday. But McMahon is OK, and will be happy to see LeMahieu, a player he looked up to while working his way into the Majors the last two years.

“Last time I saw him was New Year’s -- at my house, I had a little get-together,” McMahon said. “He’d come down here to escape the cold weather. Our focus is on baseball right now, but it’s good to see DJ.”

LeMahieu won three Rawlings Gold Glove Awards and was considered the best defensive second baseman of his era in Purple Pinstripes. No one expected McMahon to be him, but no one has set any limits, either.

At 6-foot-2, McMahon is a couple inches shorter than LeMahieu, but there are similarities in foot movement and jumping ability -- which McMahon displayed a couple times during Tuesday night’s 8-4 loss. And both came from other positions. LeMahieu was a shortstop at LSU, while McMahon was drafted out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., as a third baseman.

LeMahieu played a considerable amount of third base and shortstop when breaking in with the Rockies. McMahon played mostly first base last season.

This year, McMahon missed 10 games early on with a left elbow sprain and spent part of the season competing for playing time with Colorado's No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Brendan Rodgers (who underwent season-ending right shoulder surgery Tuesday). But McMahon’s two defensive runs saved (per Fangraphs) through Tuesday ranked tied for fifth among second basemen with at least 450 innings.

“When you’re a kid and you’re playing one position, one side of the infield, you become very comfortable with that,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “And when you move, it takes time to get comfortable. But I see him looking forward as an above-average defender, no matter where you put him, with repetitions and games played.”

Trevoy Story, who took over at short in 2015 -- the season after Troy Tulowitzki was traded -- appreciates McMahon’s skills.

“He’s super-athletic, and we try to urge him to be like that,” Story said.

The offense also is starting to show.

Through June 30, McMahon was batting .248 with a .719 OPS. But in 12 games since, McMahon has hit .350 -- half of his 14 hits going for extra bases -- with a 1.031 OPS. His overall average is up to .263.

Lately, McMahon has been a bright spot during a season that has been disjointed and disappointing. He also has resisted stressing himself out because the Rockies have taken criticism for signing first baseman Daniel Murphy (believing they needed a left-handed bat) rather than LeMahieu, who is having a big year in the biggest of markets.

“I’m very comfortable being myself,” McMahon said. “Maybe a couple years ago if I was in this situation I’d be like, ‘Oh, man, what’s DJ doing, blah-blah-blah.’ Obviously, he’s having a great year. You want that for somebody like DJ. I’m not getting caught up in all that stuff.”