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Five days after returning from the disabled list only to play both games of a doubleheader and hit for the cycle, Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer still hasn't covered.
The 35-year-old defending batting champion is out of the lineup for the third consecutive game with hamstring soreness despite Colorado having two out of the last four days off. Cuddyer actually suffered the injury while on an eight-game rehab assignment prior to his return to the Rockies last month, but the problem has flared up in recent days.
"It's bruised up. Tweaked, whatever you want to call it," Cuddyer told Nick Groke of the Denver Post on Wednesday. "It was just the 18 innings and being on base quite a bit, running and scoring. I just kind of taxed it out a little bit. I didn't pull it. It's not like it's torn or anything."
Cuddyer's extra rest day comes at a good time -- for him, at least.. The Rockies are tasked with facing Marlins ace Henderson Alvarez, owner of a 2.43 ERA. The 24-year-old All-Star has walked fewer than two batters per nine innings. Colorado counters with Franklin Morales, who is back in the rotation after surrendering a pair of runs, including a homer, in two innings of relief against the Reds on Sunday.