Fuentes and Three Others Outrighted to Triple-A By Rockies

Corner infielder Josh Fuentes, a cousin of former Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, was among four players the Rockies assigned outright to Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday. Right-handed pitchers Yency Almonte and Tommy Doyle and infielder Rio Ruiz also cleared waivers and were outrighted to the Isotopes.

The moves reduced the Rockies to 35 players on their 40-man roster, although that does not include left-handed starting pitcher Austin Gomber, first baseman-outfielder Connor Joe, right-handed pitcher Scott Oberg and utility man Chris Owings, who are on the 60-day injured list.

Gomber and Joe most likely will be placed on the 40-man, and Owings is a consideration, but after continued issues with blood clotting in his right arm it is more likely Oberg will join the Rockies’ front office in some form.

Fuentes, 28, was a National League Player of the Week selection in May after leading the Majors with 13 RBIs the previous week. But Fuentes finished the season hitting .225 in 95 Major League games and spent much of the latter part of the season at Albuquerque. Fuentes is considered an outstanding defender at third and first and was adding the outfield to his profile last season. He has hit .243 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs at the big-league level in parts of the last three seasons..

Almonte, 27, went 1-3 with a 7.55 ERA in 48 games in 2021 after posting a 3-0 record and 2.93 ERA in 24 games during the shortened 2020 season. He showed improved performance from August to October (3.48 ERA, .216 batting average against in 17 games) and went 4-4 with a 5.30 ERA in 114 games over four seasons with the club. He is arbitration-eligible.

Doyle underwent surgery Sept. 21 to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder and will likely miss all of the 2022 season. The Rockies drafted Doyle, 25, out of Virginia in Competitive Balance Round B in 2017. He reached the big leagues late in the 2020 season where he was 0-0 with a 23.14 ERA in three games. At Double-A Hartford this year, Doyle went 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA in 10 games, working 9 1/3 innings. He made five appearances between May 6-18, then missed nearly a month due to shoulder soreness before returning. Doyle’s season ended after five more appearances from June 13-24.