At 2-4 to start their season, the Colorado Rockies are looking for a bit of a spark in their lineup. Luckily for them, the Rockies will get some extra reinforcements heading into their series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Colorado has activated outfielder Mickey Moniak off of the 10-day injured list, the team announced. He missed the beginning of the season with a fractured finger. Now healthy again, Moniak is back in the lineup on Friday, batting third.
In his first year with the Rockies, the outfielder hit .270 with career-highs in home runs (24), RBIs (68) and stolen bases (nine) over 135 games. He ranked second on the team in home runs and RBIs, third in batting average and fourth in stolen bases.
Perhaps it was the fact Moniak played half his games at Coors Field that led to his resurgence. Or, it could be the former first overall pick back in 2016 finally finding his stride. Regardless, the Rockies will certainly take it and hope that Moniak can be a key piece of their lineup for the foreseeable future.
The 2026 season will be crucial for him. The outfielder must prove his most recent campaign wasn't a fluke. As a career .243 hitter with previous bests of 14 home runs and 49 RBIs, there will certainly be questions as Moniak makes his return to play.
But the fact that on his first game back from IL he's already batting third, the Rockies clearly believe in the outfielder's staying power. Friday's matchup against the Phillies will give Moniak an opportunity to prove he is fully legit. And give the Rockies that spark they've been looking for.
