Matt Holliday is getting another shot at returning to the majors, and he’s getting another chance with the Rockies. Colorado signed its former star outfielder to a minor league contract with hopes that he could join the MLB team as it aims for the postseason.
The 38-year-old reported to the rookie-level Grand Junction Rockies on Sunday. Colorado is 19-6 since June 28, a streak that has put it right in the NL West (one game behind L.A.) and Wild Card (0.5 game out of the second spot) races after appearing to be out of contention earlier in June.
“That’s one of the main things that got me going, how they’re playing and potentially go into a postseason and make another run at a World Series,” Holliday told the AP.
Holliday was a crucial piece of the 2007 Rockies team that fell to Boston in the World Series, the first and only appearance for the Colorado franchise. The Rockies won 14 of their final 15 regular-season games to earn a wild-card tie-breaker game against San Diego. Colorado won that game 9-8 in 13 innings when Holliday slid headfirst into home plate for the winning run.
The manager of that Padres team was Bud Black, who now leads the Rockies.
“I spoke to Matt (Saturday),” Black said. “He’s excited to give this a shot to see if he can get to a point where he feels good about his game and feels good about his swing and be in baseball shape.”
Holliday hit .231 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs with the New York Yankees last season. Over his 14-year career, he’s hit .299 with 314 HRs and 1,217 RBIs. After five seasons with the Rockies, he was traded to Oakland after the 2008 season, and traded to St. Louis during the 2009 year. Holliday helped the Cardinals win the 2011 World Series. He joined the Yankees in 2017.
The Rockies are hoping he can help them return to the World Series. Should he make it back to the majors, he’d be the oldest and most experienced player on Colorado’s roster.
“It’s been surreal, back wearing Rockies gear and thinking back to some of these young guys in here,” he said. “Twenty years ago I was kind of in their shoes. It’s pretty neat to be back.”
During Holliday’s time with St. Louis, he found himself moving into a spiritual leadership role with the team. He would help lead Bible studies and other get-togethers — things he saw older players before him do when he was a young player.
Holliday says he’s called to the ministry of baseball, and he’ll share the Good News wherever he’s at.
“The times I’m not constantly pursuing my relationship with Jesus are the times when baseball just beats me up. When I’m chasing after Him, I have peace,” he says.
Holliday discussed his journey as a pro and a Christ-follower with The Increase:
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