Aaron

Schunk

This is now the second game in a row in which Togia is on the bench, and his third in the last six games for Colorado. The 26-year-old has plenty of raw power, but he’s hitting just .205/.272/.367 with a nearly 39 percent strikeout rate this season. He’s hard to roster in most fantasy leagues with that profile and only six home runs. Kyle Farmer will play first base against left-hander Ranger Suarez while Tyler Freeman is in right field and Aaron Schunk starts at second base.

The Rockies’ infield is getting reinforcements on Friday with Schunk and Ezequiel Tovar both returning from the injured list. The 27-year-old has been shelved since April 26 due to a left groin strain. He is not in the team’s starting lineup for Friday night’s battle against Corbin Burnes and the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

Schunk was up with the Rockies over the past week as extra infield depth, going 5-for-20 in seven games. He’s likely to miss a couple weeks, even if it’s a relatively minor issue.

Farmer has been an everyday option for the Rockies — and one of the few effective hitters for Colorado in 2025 — but he’ll get a day of rest against the Royals. Aaron Schunk is starting at shortstop with Adael Amador lined up next to him at second base.

Schunk singled off of Brad Lord with two outs in the second inning but wound up stranded at first base. The 27-year-old infielder then laced a two-out double to right in the fourth inning and raced around to score on Mickey Moniak’s two-run triple. On the season, Schunk is now hitting .286 (2-for-7) with a run scored in his limited action with the Rockies.

Schunk gets the call back to the big leagues with Ezequiel Tovar landing on the injured list with a left hip bruise. The 27-year-old got into 39 games last year for the Rockies.

The Rockies continue to make completely baffling roster decisions. Their latest masterpiece involves the combination of jettisoning Nolan Jones to Cleveland at the absolute nadir of his trade value before shipping one of their top prospects in Veen to Triple-A instead of letting him play everyday in the majors. It’ll be Jordan Beck opening the year in right field with journeyman Nick Martini in left field. You can’t make this stuff up, seriously.

Schunk will stay in the Colorado organization after going unclaimed on the waiver wire. The 27-year-old will need to be added back to the 40-man roster if they deem him worthy of an MLB promotion.

Schunk, 27, made his major league debut last season and hit .234/.265/.330 in 98 plate appearances. A 2019 second-round pick, he’s never quite shown enough on-base ability or power to project as a useful player.

Rodgers was originally in the starting group, but now will get the penultimate game off. This likely has to do with the hip injury that kept him out of action recently. Aaron Schunk gets his spot in the lineup.