While the season for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes begins to wind down, No. 2 PuRP Ryan McMahon remains as hot as ever. The 22-year-old lefty combined to go 4-for-6 with a triple, home run, three RBI, and two walks across the Isotopes’ doubleheader on Wednesday to improve his slash line in Triple-A to an absurd 374/.411/.612 across 314 plate appearances. On the season between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, McMahon is hitting .355/.403/.583 and, perhaps most impressively, has cut his strikeout rate from 30.1 percent down to 17.7 percent.
At this point, there is little doubt about whether he’s ready for the big leagues and it’s a near guarantee that we’ll see him called up sometime in early September once rosters have expanded. The challenge for him remains finding somewhere to play on the Rockies’ crowded infield. While the offense on the whole has struggled, it would be tough or impossible to justify taking playing time away from Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu, or Mark Reynolds (the group occupying the positions he knows how to play) to make room for McMahon. A more permanent solution to finding him consistent at-bats at the Major League level may have to wait until 2018.
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 6, Reno Aces 4 (Game 1, 8 innings)
Ryan McMahon (No. 2 PuRP): 1-for-2, 3B, RBI, 2 BB, K
Raimel Tapia (No. 4 PuRP): 0-for-4, 2 K
Jordan Patterson (No. 15 PuRP): 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Jeff Hoffman: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K
Ryan Howard: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, K
Reno Aces 7, Albuquerque Isotopes 6 (Game 2, 8 innings)
Ryan McMahon (No 2 PuRP): 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, K, E
Raimel Tapia (No. 4 PuRP): 1-for-4, K
Tom Murphy (No. 9 PuRP): 1-for-3, 2B, K
Jordan Patterson (No. 15 PuRP): 1-for-4, K
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 4, Portland Sea Dogs 3
Brendan Rodgers (No. 1 PuRP): 0-for-4, 3 K, E
Dom Nunez (No. 14 PuRP): 3-for-3, 2B, BB, SB
Omar Carrizales: 2-for-4, 2 3B
Juan Ciriaco: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI
High-A: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 6, Lancaster JetHawks 4
Peter Lambert (No. 5 PuRP): 6 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K
Garrett Hampson (No. 13 PuRP): 2-for-5, RBI, K, CS
Sam Hilliard (No. 26 PuRP): 3-for-4, BB
Chris Rabago: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, SB
Low-A: Asheville Tourists 4, Columbia Fireflies 1
Tyler Nevin (No. 22 PuRP): 3-for-4, 3B, RBI, BB
Antonio Santos: 8 IP, 4 H, ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Manuel Melendez: 2-for-4, 3B, HR, RBI, K
Short-Season A: Vancouver Canadians 5, Boise Hawks 2
Danny Edgeworth: 2-for-4
Hidekel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K
J.B. Moss: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, K
Rookie: Idaho Falls Chukars 6, Grand Junction Rockies 4
Chad Spanberger (No. 30 PuRP): 0-for-3, BB, 3 K
Joey Bartosic: 3-for-4, 2B, 3B, RBI, CS
Jeff Moberg: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, K
Alexander Martinez: 2 1⁄3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Thursday probables:
Triple-A: Yency Almonte (No. 10 PuRP; 2-1, 5.90 ERA) vs. Reno
Double-A: Jack Wynkoop (5-10, 4.31 ERA) vs. Portland
High-A: TBD vs. Rancho Cucamonga
Low-A: Logan Longwith (1-0, 1.50 ERA) @ Columbia
Short-Season A: Day off
Rookie: Anderson Amarista (4-2, 7.76 ERA) @ Idaho Falls