Dexter Fowler put on 15-day disabled list
Eric Young Jr. was called up to the Rockies this week.
DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies announced Tuesday that the club placed outfielder Dexter Fowler on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised right knee.
Additionally, the Rockies optioned right-handed pitcher Adam Eaton to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Fowler and Eaton will be replaced on the active roster by outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Young Jr., both of whom were recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Both Murton (#14) and Young (#3) were in uniform Tuesday night when the Rockies played the Dodgers at Coors Field.
Young, 24, is appearing on the Major League active roster for the first time in his career. Drafted in the 30th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft by Colorado, Young hit .299 (141-for-472) with 21 doubles, 10 triples, 7 home runs and 43 RBI in 119 games for the Triple-A Sky Sox this season.
Young leads all of Minor League Baseball with 118 runs scored, while serving as the Sky Sox’ primary leadoff hitter. He also currently ranks 7th in the minors with 58 steals this season. Young has 303 career stolen bases in 568 minor league games from 2004-2009. The switch-hitter owns a .266 average (38-for-143) vs. Lefties and a mark of .313 (103-for-329) against right-handed pitchers this season.
Young has split his time between second base and center field this year. The versatile defender was used almost exclusively as an outfielder in the Arizona Fall League in 2008, while leading the circuit in hitting (.430) and posting a league-best 20 stolen bases for Phoenix. Young was named to both the Futures Game and the Triple-A All-Star Game in 2009, where he batted leadoff and played second base for Team USA, going 1-for-2 with a solo home run in St. Louis.
Young is the son of former Rockies All-Star second baseman Eric Young. Young Sr. Played for Colorado from 1993-1997 and recorded the franchise’s first at-bat on April 5, 1993 at New York Mets. Young also led off the first Major League game in Colorado history with a home run at Mile High Stadium on April 9, 1993 vs. Montreal. Young Sr. Hit .295 (626-for-2120) in 613 games in his career with the Rockies, while his 180 stolen bases still stand as the franchise record.
Murton, 27, will be in his second stint with the Major League club this season. After beginning the season with the Sky Sox, Murton was recalled on April 29. He was optioned back to Triple-A on June 5. Murton played in 22 games with the Rockies this season, hitting .267 (12-for-45) with 5 doubles, one home run and 6 RBI. In 86 games with the Sky Sox, Murton hit .321 (105-for-327) with 25 doubles, 10 home runs and 71 RBI.
Earlier this season he hit safely in a Sky Sox franchise record 29 consecutive games, breaking the record 28-game hitting streak previously held by Rockies current Minor League Baserunning and Outfield Coordinator Trenidad Hubbard, set in 1995. Murton has played in 339 games in the Majors over parts of 5 seasons with the Chicago Cubs (2005-2008), Oakland (2008) and Colorado (2009).
Fowler, 23, sustained a bruised right knee in the 14th inning last night when he fouled a ball off his leg during his final plate appearance. Fowler walked and scored the Rockies’ first run of a five-run inning during the 6-4 comeback victory over San Francisco. Fowler currently leads all National League rookies in hits (102), runs (62), walks (63), doubles (27), triples (9), stolen bases (26), total bases (159) and on-base percentage (.372). Fowler hit .361 (22-for-61) with 6 doubles, 5 triples and 17 runs scored in the month of August.
Eaton, 31, made four appearances, going 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA (8.0 ip, 5 er) for the Rockies since his contract was selected by the club on August 12. He pitched the 13th and 14th innings of last night’s extra-inning victory, picking up the win. Eaton allowed 3 runs in the top of the 14th inning before walking and scoring on Ryan Spilborghs’ game-ending grand slam in the bottom of the frame. The right-hander was signed by Colorado to a minor league contract on June 6, 2009, after being released by the Baltimore Orioles on May 26. He made 8 starts for the Orioles this season, going 2-5 with an 8.56 ERA (41.0 ip, 39 er) from April 12 through May 21. The Orioles signed Eaton as a minor league free agent on March 1 after he was released by Philadelphia on February 27.
Story provided by Colorado Rockies.
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