After scrambling to reach Phoenix following his promotion early Sunday morning, Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado made his long-awaited MLB debut later that day against the Diamondbacks. Arenado, who was on the road with Triple-A Colorado Springs in nearby Tucson prior to the call-up, started at third base and went 0 for 3 with a walk while serving as the No. 7 hitter.
"I was nervous," Arenado told The Denver Post. "It was a dream come true. It was a lot of fun to be out there with the guys. I just wish we had won."
The Rockies had pondered recalling Arenado, considered the team's best position prospect since Troy Tulowitzki, over the past week as regular third baseman Chris Nelson floundered. The early promotion means the 22-year-old will reach arbitration sooner, but Colorado management insisted it is not concerned with that future scenario.
"It came to the point where we are trying to put our best club on the field," assistant general manager Bill Geivett said. "You see a player mature on and off the field. And (part of it is) how he responded to not making the club. He went down and showed he was ready. Every decision we make is to try and win games."