The Colorado Rockies are heading into a tough test in New York with a changed infield mix.
After finishing their homestand with a series win and a series loss - dropping two of three to the St Louis Cardinals - Colorado used its day off to reset before opening a three-game set against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. The Rockies have struggled away from home this season, sitting at 25-47 on the road, and the Yankees bring an 81-62 record into the series, a mark that already guarantees another winning season in the Bronx.
Before that matchup, Colorado made two roster moves that could reshape the offense for the trip. According to Rockies Club Information on X (formerly Twitter), the team reinstated infielder Kyle Karros from the seven-day concussion injured list and optioned INF/OF Ryan Ritter to Triple-A Albuquerque in the corresponding move.
Karros had been out since Aug. 22 against the Cleveland Guardians. He cleared concussion protocol and got in two rehab games before returning, going 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI.
The third baseman has taken a real step forward this year compared with his debut in 2025. He comes back with a .263 batting average, 10 home runs, 44 RBIs and a .779 OPS.
Ritter, meanwhile, heads back to the minors after a rough stretch at the plate. In the games Karros missed, he hit .200 with two hits in 10 at-bats, struck out three times and walked once. For the season, Ritter is batting .158 with one RBI and a .358 OPS.
His glove has held up - he has not made an error in the field in 2026 in the MLB - but the bat hasn’t followed.
In Other News...
Rockies Walk Into A Yankees Series Clouded By Aaron Judge Uncertainty
The Rockies are set to open a series in New York with an unusual bit of uncertainty hanging over the matchup: Aaron Judge could be back in the Yankees lineup as soon as Tuesday night, and his return has become the biggest subplot of the trip. Judge has been on the injured list since June 5 with a fractured rib, but he has continued moving forward through batting practice and outfield work, a sign the Yankees are at least preparing for the possibility that their star right fielder is close.
Judge is scheduled to face live pitching at Yankee Stadium on Monday, the final checkpoint before any return decision is made. Still, neither Judge nor manager Aaron Boone has confirmed when he will actually be activated, leaving Colorado to prepare for a series that could either feature one of baseball's most imposing hitters or one more game of waiting. [Read more 🡒]