Adael Amador homers, scores thrice in blowout win

Amador will get his first chance at MLB action after forging an .802 OPS with Albuquerque along with 11 homers and 11 steals on 18 attempts. The 23-year-old has been awful in his limited chances in the majors with a career .492 OPS, but he’ll get a chance to show why he was once considered among the best prospects in the Colorado system.

Amador enjoyed a strong Triple-A season last year, hitting .303/.405/.478 with 11 home runs and 20 steals in 80 games. He has not been able to carry that over in his 164 MLB plate appearances, but he’s likely to get another chance early in 2026.

Amador was banished to Triple-A after criticizing the Rockies on social media last August, but he should have another chance now to compete for what should be a wide open second base job with Willi Castro (who can play anywhere), Edouard Julien, Ryan Ritter and maybe Tyler Freeman. Of course, today’s showing won’t help. He’s 4-for-17 with a homer and two steals so far.

The move comes a day after he criticized Rockies ownership on social media. Amador has been up-and-down more than your typical 22-year-old, and he’ll head back to Albuquerque with Ryan Ritter (finger) back for the Rockies. Amador has fantasy upside, but there’s clearly a ways to go before he fulfills it.

Even if Thairo Estrada can come back from his latest injury, it’s probably time for the Rockies to commit to Amador at second base and see if he’s a potential 2026 regular. The 22-year-old hasn’t excelled thus far, hitting .184/.273/.276 in 112 plate appearances.

Amador is sent back to Triple-A with Thairo Estrada (thumb) reinstated off the injured list. The 22-year-old still offers some long-term upside, but doesn’t offer fantasy relevance in 2025.

Amador returns to the majors ahead of Sunday’s contest against the Twins with versatile infielder Ryan Ritter hitting the injured list with a finger laceration. The 22-year-old former prospect has struggled to find his footing at the highest level, batting .153 (19-for-124) with one homer and two steals in 43 games for the Rockies over the last two seasons.

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.