Beck breaks out of spring slump with monster homer

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Rockies outfielder Jordan Beck was interested in this question after the Rockies' 8-4 victory over the Angels on Monday at Tempe Diablo Stadium: What was the travel distance of his two-run homer that cleared the batter’s eye in center field in the fifth inning?

“I have not heard yet,” said Beck, who was drafted from Tennessee 38th overall in 2022 and blew through the Minor Leagues before having an injury-affected rookie season in 2024. “I’d actually like to know. That pitcher [Angels non-roster righty George Klassen] was slinging it up there pretty good, so I was happy about it.”

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Before Monday, Beck’s Spring Training was heavy on calculations but light on results.

His 1-for-14 start through his first six Cactus League games included luckless line drives. A couple of slump-breaking hits on Saturday against the Diamondbacks and the first of his three hits Monday -- a looping double -- weren’t the hardest-hit balls.

“They say that it evens out,” Beck said. “I don’t know if hard-hit balls equal soft ones, or whatever that translation seems to be. But I’ll keep swinging it.

“It helps to keep building days, stacking days together. The games -- I won’t say don’t matter -- but this is also when we’re finding out timing, our stride and seeing how the offseason stuff is translating to games.”

And now one more question arises: Can Beck approach the prime production of Charlie Blackmon, who had a storied Rockies career before retiring at the end of last season?

“I definitely believe I can do those things, but I’m not out here trying to be Charlie,” Beck said. “I want to represent the game and the Rockies the way he did, but at the same time we’re different players with different skills. I’m going to play my game and do me the best I can.”

LAWRENCE CLAIMED BY PIRATES

The Pirates claimed right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence off waivers on Monday. Lawrence had a solid 2023 (154 ERA+ -- 34 points above MLB average) but a poor 2024 (71 ERA+) and was eyeing a bounceback season with Colorado, but the Rockies like their young talent and depth. The club wants the flexibility of being able to send a reliever down to Triple-A Albuquerque without exposing him to waivers.

Right-handers Tyler Kinley and Jimmy Herget, and lefty Scott Alexander are the only Rockies relievers who don’t have to be waived in order to be removed from the Major League roster.

“We just had to make some hard decisions, and our depth is in a good spot to give our bullpen a different look, different names, different styles,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.

“Justin did a nice job -- a 15th-round pick, he got to the Major Leagues and had some success for us at times,” general manager Bill Schmidt said. “We wish him nothing but success.”

The move put the Rockies’ roster officially at 39, but in actuality it’s 38 because righty reliever Jeff Criswell (scheduled for Tommy John right elbow surgery on March 14) will begin the season on the 60-day injured list.

DANCING WITH A NEW PARTNER

Right-hander Ryan Feltner leaned heavily on veteran catcher Jacob Stallings while posting a 2.98 ERA in his final 15 starts last year. On Monday, Feltner meshed with another catcher, second-year man Hunter Goodman -- who is competing for the other catcher spot and is off to a solid offensive start (6-for-12, 3 RBIs).

“It’s the first time I’ve thrown to ‘Goody’ in a game, and we learned each other really well,” said Feltner, who threw 55 pitches in 2 1/3 innings and yielded just one run on a solo homer from Travis d'Arnaud. “It didn’t take us long to get on the same page, so for that being our first time working together, I was pretty happy about it.”

Like Germán Márquez on Sunday against the Mariners, Feltner’s pitch count was driven up by foul balls.

HURLERS TO WATCH

Righty Tanner Gordon, who debuted last season and is competing for Major League starts this year, struck out two and allowed just one hit over two scoreless frames.

“He’s got some deception with that high arm slot, a sneaky fastball and good feel for the slider and the change,” Black said.

In his Feb. 23 spring debut, righty reliever Jaden Hill walked two, hit two and gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning while ironing out his hard and soft breaking balls. His last two outings he has combined for 2 1/3 scoreless, including a strikeout of the Angels’ Jorge Soler.

“His best stuff is fastball-change, but we’re going to continue to work on the slider and he’s going to continue to grow,” Black said.