Tovar intent on spreading love, flipping glove in '24

This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding's Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar keeps coming back to his baby blue fielder’s glove. He began wearing it after he and his wife, Laura, welcomed their first child, Luciano, last Father’s Day, June 18.

“I’ve got a lot of different colors this year,” Tovar said, with bullpen catcher Aaron Mu?oz interpreting. “But I think I’m going to stick with that.”

Second baseman Brendan Rodgers often comes by Tovar’s locker to marvel at the glove fashion. But Rodgers tends to finish visits by pointing to a shiny embroidered patch on his own mitt.

“I say, ‘You’re only missing one thing on there,’” Rodgers said, pointing to the patch he gets to wear for the rest of his career for winning a 2022 Gold Glove Award.

Tovar didn’t miss much last year as a rookie who didn’t even turn 21 until Aug. 1. He was an NL Gold Glove finalist. He overcame a slow start to finish a respectable .253/.287/.408 with 37 doubles (tied for fifth in the National League), 15 home runs and 11 steals. And Tovar just might be central to the heartbeat of the Rockies’ next era.

When he arrived for camp, he circled the clubhouse and checked in with nearly every member of the roster. The hellos were not accompanied by the belly laughs that are normal this time of year, just quiet conversations followed by heartfelt hugs.

It would be an overstatement to say that something special is happening, at least at this point. Coming off a 59-103 season, the best that can be said is they’re beginning the bounce off rock bottom. But as last season’s Rockies introduced younger blood with the promise of more transfusions over the next couple of years, there was a palpable mix of embracing the daily task and emotions ranging from disappointment to anger at the losses that piled up.

Tovar plays a key position in the middle of a defense that went from shaky early last season to good, and this year has Gold Glove Award winners in Rodgers and center fielder Brenton Doyle (a rookie in ‘23), a three-time finalist in third baseman Ryan McMahon, Tovar coming off his finalist designation and left fielder Nolan Jones having racked up 19 outfield assists.

With young players expected to take up increased clubhouse real estate over the next couple of years, they can look to Tovar, who exudes a let’s-learn-together vibe.

“It hasn’t seemed like there’s a huge learning curve,” said veteran left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland. “Everything comes to him with ease, and you don’t see that in a young player. He doesn’t need a lot of coaching. He has baseball knowledge that’s second nature. You can teach it, but he does it on his own.”

Tovar spent a morning this week discussing subjects he is eager to undertake in his second Major League season:

On working the defensive middle with Rodgers, who missed much of last season after left shoulder surgery:
“Having B-Rod, a Gold Glover next to you, motivates you. He brings out the best in me, and vice versa. We work well together, and I’m excited to get a full year with him.”

On possibly winning a Gold Glove:
"I can’t control that [voting] part. Once they told me I was a finalist, it was exciting, an honor.”

On the role of the defense in fostering a better record:
"Offense is important, but defense wins ballgames. As a group, we think about the small things. We want to do the small things right.”

On the trust he has earned from manager Bud Black:
“I have a lot of respect for Buddy as a manager. When we joke, we joke. There are times for that. When we have a serious conversation, we have those, too. The communication is great.”

On improving his offense, which requires him addressing his low on-base percentage and high strikeouts (166) -- both rooted in his temptation to chase sliders down and away from righty pitchers:
"I try to practice the same way, get better at every aspect of the game. I have drills that I do, and try to incorporate to get better in that situation.”

On celebrating the strong rookie season:
“The biggest thing was spending time with my family, my son in particular. I actually built him a nice little playground at home, inside the house. I bought him a lot of toys, and I played with him.”