Biggest Changes for the Rockies Since Opening Day

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Biggest Changes for the Rockies Since Opening Day

Originally posted on Colorado Rockies on SI
By Miguel Mike Medina | Last updated May 28, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Throughout 57 games into the season, the Colorado Rockies have managed to win 20 of them.

Since Opening Day, we have seen some tweaks in the Rockies' lineup. Some of these adjustments were necessary, and they worked in their favor. A team projected to finish last is living up to that projection as they are currently last in the NL West.

The Emergence of Rookie T.J. Rumfield

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Throughout spring training, Colorado was searching for who could be the everyday first baseman for this team. Rumfield was not the frontrunner entering the season. His hard work and consistency showed the coaches and the organization that he's ready for battle and didn't care if it was his first year in the big leagues.

Rumfield hitting No. 3 in the lineup is a move no one saw coming, but he deserves to be there. The left-handed batter is slashing .281/.359/.807 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs. He's shown great plate discipline, ranking second on the team in walks (20), behind only third baseman Kyle Karros. Rumfield leads the team in hits (54).

Troy Johnston Going From No. 8 to No. 5

Don't we love to see surprises in baseball? Johnston's approach on offense has been huge and a surprise for the Rockies. He's one of the top hitters in the lineup. Johnston has come a long way since Opening Day. Manager Warren Schaeffer has put his trust in him, placing him in the No. 5 spot.

the 28-year-old lefty leads the team in batting average (.314) and in on-base percentage (.376). In the last seven games, he has collected six hits, one double, and one RBI.

Ezequiel Tovar From the Top to Bottom of Lineup

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We knew that Tovar was one of the driving forces for the Rockies to have long-term success. Everyone was expecting big things from the former gold glover. At the start of the season, Tovar began hitting No. 2 in the lineup behind left fielder Jake McCarthy. The month of April was not very friendly to Tovar.

However, as May concludes, we are starting to see him get some good at-bats. In 23 games this month, Tovar delivered 17 hits, but the problem is that he also had 17 strikeouts. The strikeouts have been a real concern for Tovar, besides durability. Tovar is batting .214 with two home runs. With any momentum that he's slowly gaining, we can hope that June can be a better month. In the latest series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tovar got three hits and two RBIs in 10 at-bats.

This article first appeared on Colorado Rockies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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