DENVER — Jose Reyes now knows when he can return. His role — and perhaps his future — with the Colorado Rockies remain as murky as ever, especially given the emergence of rookie shortstop Trevor Story.
DENVER — Jose Reyes now knows when he can return. His role — and perhaps his future — with the Colorado Rockies remain as murky as ever, especially given the emergence of rookie shortstop Trevor Story.
Reyes was suspended through May 31 on Friday, the second player penalized under Major League Baseball’s new domestic violence policy. Reyes agreed to the punishment and won’t appeal, the commissioner’s office said. The penalty stemmed from an alleged altercation with his wife at a Hawaii resort last October.
In Reyes’ absence, Story has taken his job and become one of baseball’s big surprises this season. Story ranks among the big league leaders with 11 homers and 27 RBIs and is batting .266.
“I don’t worry myself too much in the future or what’s going to happen when Jose comes back,” Story said. “Take it day by day and things will work out.”
The Rockies are still formulating a plan with Reyes — whether he will head to Arizona for extended spring training or maybe on a minor league rehab assignment.
“We are in phase 2 of this, which is, ‘OK, what next?’ and, ‘What now?’” Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said. “There is no sense or need to put the cart before the horse before we fully understood what the penalty was going to be under the policy.
“Now we’re going to have to start truly re-engaging with Jose and his agent, making sure we’re on the same page.”
The four-time All-Star shortstop will lose 52 days of pay under the agreement, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press, which amounts to $6,251,366 of Reyes’ $22 million salary. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that aspect of the penalty wasn’t made public.
“I want to apologize for everything that has happened,” Reyes said in a statement released by the players’ union. “I am sorry to the Rockies organization, my teammates, all the fans and most of all my family.”
The 32-year-old has not been with the Rockies all year. But outfielder Carlos Gonzalez doesn’t think the chemistry in the clubhouse will be drastically altered once he does return.
Reyes is a career .290 hitter with 479 stolen bases in 13 seasons, and his contract with the Rockies runs through the 2017 season and includes a club option for 2018. He won the 2011 NL batting title while with the New York Mets — who were set to play at Colorado on Friday night.