Adael

Amador

The Rockies agreed to terms with Orlando Arcia earlier in the week, so it seems likely that he’ll be joining the big league roster on Friday, with Amador’s demotion clearing the way for him. The 22-year-old infielder was hitting a putrid .146/.240/.225 with one homer, five RBI and a 25/10 K/BB ratio in 102 plate appearances. He’ll return to an everyday role at the Triple-A level where he’ll hopefully get back on track.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and Thomas Harding have also confirmed the initial report. Arica was released over the weekend by Atlanta after passing through waivers unclaimed. The 30-year-old’s offensive numbers were abysmal this season, but the fact that his defensive metrics have tumbled off the metaphorical cliff are what seem to have sealed his fate. It’s unclear how he fits into Colorado’s plans with Ezequiel Tovar locked in at shortstop, but he presumably will get a look at second base where prospect Adael Amador has underachieved so far.

Amador also appeared to throw his glove at a Paul Goldschmidt liner over his head, which might have gotten him a little talking to in the dugout. The 22-year-old Amador figures to return to Triple-A once Thairo Estrada’s rehab assignment is complete.

Amador is hitting just .173 (9-for-52) with one homer, three RBI and one steal in 20 games this season at the highest level. Unfortunately, the Rockies don’t have a viable alternative at the position until Ezequiel Tovar (hip) returns from the injured list, which would likely push Kyle Farmer back to second base.

Tovar also played the entire game at shortstop, which is a positive step in his return from a hip injury. When Tovar does return, Kyle Farmer will likely go back to playing mostly second base, which means Adael Amador could be sent back to the minors.

Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.

The previous four times the switch-hitting Amador had been on the bench since his recall were all against lefties. Tonight, though, he’s sitting versus a righty, even though he has a homer and two doubles in his last two starts. The Rockies must figure Kyle Farmer gives them a better chance of winning, which we’re not at all sure is true but also shouldn’t be the priority for a 4-24 team that showed no interest in trying to win during the the offseason.

Amador got on base with a single to lead off the third inning and stole second for his first steal of the season. He then slugged his first career home run, taking Hunter Greene deep in the fifth. Amador later drive in a run with a double in the ninth. The 22-year-old second baseman is getting his shot to play with Ezequiel Tovar and Thairo Estrada on the injured list, though he’s hitting just .214/.290/.393 with ten strikeouts over 32 plate appearances.

Amador provides the injury-depleted Rockies with some extra infield depth ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the Padres. The 22-year-old got into 10 games last year for Colorado and offers some power/speed combo intrigue for fantasy managers in deeper mixed leagues. He possesses robust contact skills, which should translate well to hitter-friendly Coors Field, a place that often boosts batting averages more than anything else. If he’s able to carve out an everyday role, Amador’s combination of fantasy-relevant skills will make him an impact contributor.

Amador gets the call to bolster Colorado’s struggling offense with both Brenton Doyle (quad) and Tyler Freeman (oblique) dealing with injuries. The 22-year-old top prospect, who sipped a quick cup of coffee last year when he got into 10 games for the Rockies, is hitting .273 (11-for-40) with two homers and three steals in 10 games this season at hitter-friendly Triple-A Albuquerque. There’s some intrigue here for fantasy managers in extremely deep mixed leagues, but it’s unclear whether he’s going to play enough right out of the gate to make a significant fantasy impact.