Tulowitzki appears set for Tuesday return to Rockies

Kevin Roberts of MLB.com reports that Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will play a full nine innings in a rehab start Sunday and is likely to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday when the Rox began a series at home against Pittsburgh.

All great news. Tulo hit the disabled list back in mid-June with a fractured left wrist and has been on a minor league rehab assignment for the past several days.

“Hopefully, he’ll be in position to play against the Pirates,” manager Jim Tracy told MLB.com. “He makes everybody else on the team better. That’s what this young man has done for the Colorado Rockies in the past, and what he’ll do again.

The Rockies have to be somewhat pleased that they are only 6.5 games back in the National League West given that they’ve gone over a month without their superstar shortstop and Ubaldo Jimenez has been shaky as of late. Tulowitzki was batting .306/.375/.502 with nine home runs and 34 RBI in 235 at-bats before his injury and is a major part of the middle of Colorado’s batting order. If Jimenez can rebound, perhaps the Rox will reach their potential in time for the stretch run.