Rockies’ Trevor Story starts Triple-A rehab assignment

An unexpected face graced the Albuquerque Isotopes’ optional batting practice on Friday afternoon.

Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story stepped into the cage to take some hacks and prepare for the start of his rehabilitation assignment.

“I’m just making sure I get in games, get game action and that my shoulder feels good,” Story said. “It’s been great so far through BP and everything. I’m looking forward to playing.”

Story is on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to May 10, with a strained left shoulder. It was the latest bump in the road for the second-year player, who is hitting just .180/.289/.396 with six home runs and 48 strikeouts in 128 major league plate appearances in 2017.

“It’s a tough game,” Story said. “You’re not always going to be feeling right. You’re not always going to have your best stuff. In times like that you’ve just got to compete. That’s what I’ve been trying to do. Obviously I haven’t had my best stuff, but I’m trying to compete. That’s really what it comes down to.”

Being on the disabled list has not been easy for a high-energy player like Story.

“It’s really tough,” he said. “That’s one of the most challenging things as a baseball player is being on the DL. I really like to work and be in the cage, do workouts and stuff like that. It’s really tough for me when they shut me down and I can’t really do anything.”

Now, though, Story will get back into action, batting second and playing shortstop for the Isotopes in their series opener with the visiting Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers) on Friday night.

The exact length of Story’s rehab assignment will be determined by his health and performance, but he is eligible to come off as early as Saturday.

Story certainly wants to get back to Colorado and a winning environment.

“It’s fun and it’s contagious when you win like we have for the first month, month-and-a-half,” he said. “It’s fun. That’s what we set out to do. It gets you excited to get back, for sure.”