Colorado’s plan for Cole Carrigg now that Brenton Doyle has returned

DENVER – It’s not often that the return of a two-time Gold Glove Award winner is viewed as being problematic. For a team like the Colorado Rockies, it’s the first good problem in a long time.

Brenton Doyle returned to the Rockies on Friday for the first time since going on the 10-day injured list for a left oblique contusion on May 20. A left groin strain sustained during a rehab assignment kept him away for the club’s last 60 games.

“Been anticipating getting back in this lineup for quite a bit,” Doyle said pre-game. “It was probably the longest injury stint I’ve ever experienced in my baseball career. So, to be back finally today, I’m super excited for tonight.”

Warren Schaeffer, who managed Doyle when the two were still in Triple-A Albuquerque awaiting their respective big league debuts in 2022, immediately put the 28-year-old back in center field.

“It’s great to have (Doyle) back. It’s good to see him healthy. It’s been a while,” Schaeffer said. “When he’s healthy, he’s a really good ball player. So it’s good to have him back in the mix for us.”

During the two months Doyle was missing from the lineup, Colorado went 23-37. The team also promoted prospect Cole Carrigg on June 9 to play center field regularly.

Carrigg has made the most of this opportunity. Outside of going 3-for-6 in stolen base opportunities, there hasn’t been much that Carrigg hasn’t done during his time in the Majors. 

The 2nd round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of San Diego State University is batting .296 with five home runs and 26 RBI to go along with an .892 OPS. He reached base in 19 consecutive starts from June 14-July 8, the third-longest on-base streak by a rookie starter in franchise history with Cory Dickerson (2013) and Juan Pierre (2000). 

Colorado has utilized his offensive fire power in the third spot in the lineup seven times. Only Todd Helton (1997-98) and Dickerson (2013-14) have been featured as prominently in the batting order as a rookie in their age-24 or younger season.

Defense has hardly been average with several defensive metrics showing him well above the 50th percentile. Then there’s his arm strength: Baseball Savant puts him in the 99th percentile of all outfielders. Coincidentally, that’s exactly where Doyle placed during his consecutive Gold Glove Awards in 2023-24.

“He’s the type of guy that I think it when the longer he plays up here, the better he’ll get,” Schaeffer said of Carrigg. “He’s been fantastic in the outfield. You always think he’s going to make a play.”

Before the last road trip when the Rockies secured only one victory during a five-game road trip to Milwaukee and San Diego, the club was playing some of its best baseball, going 17-19 in Carrigg’s first 36 games.

There’s also been the emergence of Jake McCarthy. Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade during the offseason, McCarthy has settled nicely into the leadoff spot while starting more games in center (38) than either Carrigg (36) and Doyle (30). 

The logjam of outfielders is excellent evidence of the Rockies raising their floor following three consecutive 100-loss seasons.

“Anytime you have good depth – any position, infield, outfield, pitching – it’s a big plus,” Doyle said of Carrigg’s development in Denver. “Carrigg is a really good player to have on the roster, and brings a lot of excitement, a lot of energy. Things are going well.”

Next Steps

Doyle got the start in center field for his first game back with McCarthy in left field and Carrigg on the bench against Michael Wacha. 

Wacha is a rare breed of pitcher who has reverse splits, meaning he performs better against hitters on the opposite side of the plate. Right-handed hitters, like Doyle, have statistically done better than left-handed hitters — such as the switch-hitting Carrigg against a right-hander — against Wacha during his 14-year career.

“(Carrigg’s) been a big part of us winning ball games when he’s been here. He’s playing exceptionally well. He brings a ton to this team. I think there’s a spot for both of those guys on the team for sure,” Schaeffer said of the crowded outfield. 

Even with Mickey Moniak, Troy Johnston and Tyler Freeman having spent a majority of their time this season on the outfield, the club still plans to use Freeman at second base or Johnston at first base sporadically.

An ability to play shortstop — a position Carrigg played in all four games for Team Israel during the 2026 World Baseball Classic as well as 18 games at Triple-A — could find Carrigg on the dirt during the final two months of the season to alleviate the outfield congestion.

“With (Carrigg’s) versatility, he can play short. He can play second. He can play left. He can play right,” Schaeffer explained. “We’ll see. Just like we always do, we’re mixing around.”

Game Planning

Never did a complicated situation like too many center fielders end with such a great result. 

Colorado defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1 in front of 39,317 in attendance on Friday night.

Tomoyuki Sugano allowed one run in 6.2 innings to earn his 11th win of the season. Those 11 victories in 19 starts make him only the third Rockie following Jason Jennings (2001-02) and Jason Marquis (2009) with as much success to start a season. 

Though the offense produced five hits, all against Wacha, Doyle chipped in with an RBI-double during a two-run fourth inning.

“It felt really good to get a double my first game back with an RBI in a pretty close game,” Doyle said post-game. “Pretty confidence-building.”

Carrigg managed to enter the contest as a defensive replacement for Johnston in right field during the eighth inning to help Colorado hold onto their lead. 

The win was the Rockies 43rd of the season, matching their total from all of 2025. Colorado still has 52 games remaining.

Transactional

To create room for Doyle on the active 26-man roster, Colorado optioned Braxton Fulford to Triple-A. 

“Braxton needs to go play every day,” Schaeffer said of the decision. “I mean his role up here was — he’s got an All-Star catcher playing in front of him that’s going to play as much as he can, and then (Brett) Sullivan taking most of the right-handed bats. So he just needs to play because we still think he’s a really good player. Him being here and not playing a lot is not real good for him.”

Fulford started twice in the 11 games since the All-Star break. In his eight starts behind the plate this season, Hunter Goodman has served as the designated hitter seven times. The combination of off-days, the four-day break from July 13-16 and the presence of Sullivan to spell Goodman, the need for a third catcher at the moment is frivolous.

Should Colorado be as active on the transaction front as it appears they could be, Fulford could reprise his role as soon as Monday’s trade deadline when a position player or two is moved from the 26-man roster.

That good problem with too many outfield options? That also could have a satisfactory solution for the likes of Doyle and Carrigg following deadline day.