MESA, Ariz. -- Right-handed pitcher Wes Parsons appreciated his unfamiliar role last year, since being a reliever in the Majors certainly was better than being a starter in Triple-A.

But the Rockies are giving Parsons a chance to be his old self this spring. His outing on Tuesday afternoon went well -- two innings, no runs and one strikeout, allowing a hit and two walks -- in a 12-6 victory over the Cubs.

“It was actually a discussion we had in September, but then they gave me a call this offseason saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to start you,’” said Parsons, who recently added a curveball to his repertoire. “I was happy as ever, because I missed starting. I was happy to get back into it.”

The Rockies took Parsons off their Major League roster during the offseason, but re-signed him as a non-roster invitee with the hope that he can provide depth if he doesn’t grab a Major League spot by Opening Day. While any team would love to rely on a small group of starters, that doesn’t always happen.

Last year, seven pitchers started at least 10 games and two guys who began the season in the rotation (Chad Bettis and Tyler Anderson) didn’t make it to 10.

Parsons, 27, went 1-2 with a 5.45 ERA in 32 combined relief appearances last season with the Braves and Rockies, who acquired him off waivers on Aug. 19. While he has never made a Major League start (he made one relief appearance for Atlanta in 2018), he has made 87 starts over seven Minor League seasons.

“We’re just trying to expand our pool of potential starters,” manager Bud Black said. “He’s indicated a desire to start. We know there’s always a possibility to move any starter into the bullpen.

“This will give him some reps, a number of innings and pitches to work on some of the things we started at the end of last year.”

Happy with the lab report

Lefty Jake McGee, righty Scott Oberg and closer Wade Davis won’t appear in Cactus League play until the weekend. They spent Monday in the pitching lab, where real-time readings and next-day, super-slow motion video are available. And McGee, whose transition from fireballer to fastball-slider guy has taken a while, likes what he is seeing.

McGee, 33, felt his mix improving by the end of last spring, but suffered a left knee sprain in his second outing and finished the year 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA in 45 outings.

“It’s been improving each session, more consistent each time throwing,” McGee said. “Yesterday they were probably the best sliders I’ve thrown, and the numbers show it, too, which is nice.”

Big day for roster competitors

For the second time in as many Spring Training games, Yonathan Daza (one walk, two hits, two RBIs) showed the plate discipline the Rockies wanted after seeing his batting average drop from .364 in Triple-A to .206 in the Majors.

“Now, against better pitching, we’ve got to make sure that happens, and the way that happens is if you don’t expand the zone,” Black said. “So far, so good.”

Corner infielder Josh Fuentes went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI against the Cubs. Both non-roster catchers -- Elias Díaz, who was designated hitter, and Drew Butera -- had solid offensive days. Díaz had a sacrifice fly and two singles, while Butera delivered a two-run double off Jon Lester and a walk. Lefty reliever Phillip Diehl struck out three in 1 1/3 innings and controlled the zone with his fastball and slider.

Mixed results in debuts
The Rockies’ No. 2 prospect, left-handed pitcher Ryan Rolison, buzzed through the first inning on 12 pitches, one of which was a called third strike against Kyle Schwarber. In the next inning, he gave up a leadoff double to Jason Heyward and a bases-loaded triple to Ian Happ. Rolison would have been out of the inning earlier, but first baseman Ryan McMahon lost a popup in the sun for an error.

Righty Antonio Santos, whose power mix landed him a spot on the Major League 40-man roster, struck out two and walked two over two innings. After a wild pitch in the sixth inning put runners at second and third with two outs, Santos fanned Trent Giambrone.

Righty closer Tommy Doyle (the team’s No. 21 prospect per MLB Pipeline) gave up a leadoff walk and one run, but fanned one in his inning.

Up next
Ubaldo Jiménez makes his first start for the Rockies since 2011 when Colorado hosts Texas at 1:05 p.m. MT on Wednesday.