MIAMI -- The Rockies are opening against the Marlins in a place that shortstop Ezequiel Tovar calls his U.S. offseason home -- and a city that took him into its heart during the World Baseball Classic. Venezuela played all of its games in Miami -- in front of massive crowds of fans with allegiance to the country -- and eventually won the title game by beating Team USA in front of those crowds. When Tovar arrived Thursday at loanDepot park, he skillfully handled a dugout press conference that one would associate with a player becoming more comfortable with his stardom. Tovar, 24, already is popular in Denver. And, heading into the third year of a seven-year, $63.5 million contract extension, he is making sure that his Denver home benefits beyond being entertained by his play. |
On Thursday morning, Tovar announced the launch of the “Double Impact” initiative through his Bases Loaded Foundation. Each double Tovar hits during the 2026 season will trigger a $1,000 donation -- matched by the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club Foundation -- that will support pediatric healthcare programs at Children’s Hospital Colorado and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. Tovar’s Bases Loaded Foundation, announced in 2024, is already funding pediatric healthcare clinics, STEM programming, food initiatives and facility renovations at Hospital Venezuela Maracay, where he was born. In his time with the Rockies, Tovar has quietly supported children of all communities in Denver. Tovar and the club announced the new program through a press release Thursday morning in Tovar’s style -- little fanfare, all substance. “I’ve always believed that what we do on the field should create opportunities off the field,” he said in the release. “Through Bases Loaded, I want every moment of the season to have a real impact on kids and communities that need it most.” |
Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer has said that he was heartened by the higher level of expressiveness Tovar showed during the Classic, but he also loves how understated his shortstop is normally. At his heart, Tovar prefers to make impact quietly. “It’s never been Tovie’s way to broadcast things,” Schaeffer said. “He’s behind closed doors. We all love that about Tovie. At his heart, people really matter to him. He’s a great family man. He’s a great guy in the community. He’s just a great guy overall in how he treats people.” Children stand to benefit greatly. In 2023, his first full season, Tovar cranked out 37 doubles. In ‘24, he led the National League with 45. Last year, he dealt with hip and oblique injuries and was limited to 18 doubles in his 95 games. |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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There are no changes from last year in terms of how and where to watch the Rockies on television. Information on Rockies.TV and over-the-air games can be found at Rockies.com/watch. |
'PEN WILL NEED TO COUNTER VS. LEFTIES |
Veteran Brennan Bernardino, obtained from the Red Sox during the offseason, will be the only left-hander in the season-opening bullpen. Last season, Bernardino yielded just a .205 batting average and .580 OPS to the 89 lefties he faced. What can he lend to his mostly young right-handed bullpen mates? “It’s more the mental side of the game -- how to use their stuff against lefties and what lefty hitters are looking for,” said Bernardino, who held the nine lefties he faced this spring to a .125 average and .272 OPS. “When I go to face righties, it’s the same thing. And there are a lot of great, young arms here.” Spring showed dramatic improvement for Zach Agnos, who yielded a .293 average and a .905 OPS to lefties last season but a .143 average and a .286 OPS against 14 batters this spring, and Jaden Hill, who gave up a .280 average and a .797 OPS to lefties last year, but a .188 average and a .725 OPS against 20 such hitters this spring. Hill made the team this spring by showing dramatic improvement on how he used his slider against hitters from both sides. Same with Agnos, who learned a pitch from righty starter Michael Lorenzen called the “death ball.” Not to worry -- it’s actually a slider that is designed for depth, rather than horizontal break. Usually, this pitch is called a “gyro” slider. “We were playing catch one day and he asked me if I ever thought about throwing it,” said Agnos, who credits much of his improvement to his brother, Jake Agnos, a former Yankees prospect now on the East Carolina University coaching staff. “I threw it, then we made some adjustments with the grip and some mental cues.”
Agnos struggled with walks in the Majors last season but did not walk a batter this spring.
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The decision to add second-year pitcher Chase Dollander to the bullpen to continue his development at the Major League level -- with the more experienced Ryan Feltner taking the fifth rotation spot -- offers some early game possibilities. Dollander and veteran Antonio Senzatela, a starter since 2017 until late last season, give the Rockies two relievers who can throw multiple innings. Does this mean the Rockies are planning to start games with an “opener” before turning the pitching over to a starter? “We’re always going to be talking about it, but just here in the initial stages of the season you’re going to see a regular rotation,” Schaeffer said. |
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JUST BEING HERE IS EMOTION ENOUGH |
Colorado’s Troy Johnston was the Marlins’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2023. He debuted last season, so loanDepot park is a special place. After making the Rockies’ squad out of Spring Training as a first baseman and outfielder, he spent time visiting with former Marlins teammates during Thursday’s workout. After a slow start to the spring, Johnston showed improved production. Just as much, he showed an equal ability to play first base and the outfield corners, becoming a clear choice for Colorado when utility man Tyler Freeman struggled with back issues throughout the spring. Johnston was an outfielder when the Marlins drafted him out of Gonzaga in the 17th round in 2019, but he played mostly first in their system and at times was blocked. But increased outfield play helped him earn a debut last season, and win a job this spring. “What we went over with the Marlins was how to get better jumps -- I am not the fastest runner so I have to be really good with jumps,” said Johnston, who received a small taste of Coors Field’s spacious outfield when the Marlins played there last year. |
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