Troy

Johnston

We’re not sure what the Rockies are going for at this point, but there’s no good reason for Johnston having started the last three games while Zac Veen and Jordan Beck played just once apiece. Johnston certainly hasn’t embarrassed himself in hitting .283/.353/.399 in 417 plate appearances this season, but that’s still slightly below league-average offense for a Coors Field player and it comes with weak defense in the outfield. He shouldn’t be in the Rockies’ plans for 2027.

It’s a hitless week for Johnston, though he had just 12 at-bats in series against the Dodgers and Giants. He’s still batting .301/.374/.417 for the season, but as a platoon guy and a subpar defensive outfielder, he’s not really moving the needle for the Rockies. Depending on whether the Rockies trade some of their other left-handed bats, Johnston is a candidate to be phased out when the team decides to give Charlie Condon and maybe another youngster or two a look.

It’s his second day off in a row against a right-hander and third day off in four games, perhaps portending that we shouldn’t consider Johnston a full-time starter against righties anymore. Sterlin Thompson is DHing while Tyler Freeman plays right field.

It was the only scoring the Rockies could muster against a pair of openers and Carmen Mlodzinski. Johnston managed to misplay a Spencer Horowitz fly ball that he thought would carom off the wall but instead landed on the track after he’d already stopped. So it goes. Johnston still qualifies as a success story for the Rockies, he’s up to a .326/.387/.465 seasonal line with two homers.

The Rockies will go with an entire line shift with left-hander Jesus Luzardo toeing the slab for the Phillies, with Edouard Julien, Troy Johnston and Jake McCarthy joining Moniak on the bench for this one. We could see a similar lineup against Cristopher Sanchez on Sunday, which makes the 27-year-old slugger a tough start in leagues that utilize bi-weekly moves for hitters.

Johnston’s emergence as a viable heart-of-the-order option for the Rockies this season has been a fun development as he’s hitting .320/.376/.460 with two homers, 16 RBI and one steal through 29 games. The 28-year-old is in a groove right now, batting .370 (10-for-27) with six RBI over his last seven games.

With his Rockies up one, Johnston delivered a clutch, two-run knock to stretch their lead out. The Mets wound up responding with a rally of their own, but fell one run short. Just as he and his teammates have done all season, Johnston attacked a first-pitch fastball from Sean Manaea to get his big hit. On the season, he has a .317 batting average and .834 OPS as a pleasant surprise in the middle of the Rockies’ order.

Johnson also singled. His second of the double of the contest was a big one; a two-run two-bagger that gave the Rockies a 4-3 win to help Colorado to an upset win. Johnston has looked the part in his first chance as a regular, and is now slashing .305/.359/.492. At the very least, he’s played well enough to be monitored; especially when you consider his home park.

Johnston was hit by a Spencer Arrighetti pitch in the first inning Wednesday, though he remained in initially. If he can’t play Thursday, then it’s more likely Jake McCarthy will be in the lineup.

Freeman has been on the bench since being scratched from Sunday’s game with lower back tightness. The 26-year-old outfielder is presumably available, if needed, but the Rockies are trying to give him some extra time to put the issue to bed. It’ll be another turn in right field for Troy Johnston in this one.