WASHINGTON – Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman finds being on the road comforting.
Goodman usually limits his swings to the batting cage. He’s not out on the field in front of strange fans in unfamiliar surroundings. Just him and his mates, nothing but the pop of the bat and easy conversation.
“I guess I’ve found a good routine on the road that works for me in the cage, and I’m sticking to it,” Goodman said after homering in the first and ninth innings to make it an un-Rockies-like 10 of his 13 homers on the road. His solo shot in the ninth on Monday set up Mickey Moniak’s two-run, two-out shot off Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan for a 6-4 victory at Nationals Park.
“Most of the time I stay inside,” said Goodman, a candidate to represent the Rockies in the 2025 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. "I don’t hit on the field every day, so the cage is most of my routine.”
So the two homers on Monday were much like the scene in the indoor batting cage before games. Goodman didn’t have to worry about the sounds of strangers in the stands, since they were largely quiet. Most of the noise in the park was generated by his teammates, whose whoops rang from the dugout and through the stadium.
Those who know anything about the Rockies understand that even most of the star players in their history have struggled away from Coors Field, where the altitude affects pitch movement and lessens the drag on fly balls, not to mention its expansive outfield. Soft singles, soft and hard doubles and triples if the ball is hit to the right place are common.
But Goodman’s torpedo bat – he was the only player on the team who has stuck with one for any length of time – will travel.
Through 37 road games, Goodman is slashing .302/.340/.590 with 19 extra-base hits that include eight doubles and one triple, plus 25 total RBIs. His home numbers are respectable enough – .270/.316/.437 with three homers, eight doubles, two triples and 18 RBIs.
“He’s a big piece of the puzzle,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I mean, he’s our best hitter, bar none.”
After Monday’s win and Sunday’s 10-1 victory over the Braves, the Rockies have improved to 15-57 – still tied with the 1932 Red Sox for worst in the Modern Era (since 1900) through 72 games. But comeback victories against the Giants on Thursday and the Nats on Monday, plus games in which the offense has been more functional, have the Rockies believing better days are arriving.
“Over the last three weeks for sure and into the month of June, we’ve been playing good baseball,” said Moniak, who also tripled and is earning playing time as an outfielder and designated hitter. “We’ve learned from citations. That’s just another game where we’ve gone down, we’re into the ninth inning against a really good closer.”
Goodman started the Rockies off in the first by following a one-out single by Tyler Freeman – whose hot stretch has led Schaeffer to move him from No. 9 to No. 2 in the order – with his shot off Jake Irvin into the left-center-field bullpen.
Goodman and Moniak turned a Finnegan save situation into a Rockies victory and the Nats’ ninth straight loss.
“Both fastballs,” Finnegan said. “That was the right pitch. Just didn't execute location and missed where they like and where they do damage. And that's what they did."
Newly deputized closer Seth Halvorsen overcame a leadoff walk to Luis García Jr. by forcing a Brady House double-play grounder, then newly recalled first baseman Michael Toglia dived to rob Josh Bell of extra bases and flipped to Halvorsen to record the final out. It was the fourth save for Halvorsen, who took the role because the most recent previous closer, Zach Agnos, was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday.
A Rockies team that has largely struggled everywhere is feeling more confident everywhere.
“The last two weeks or so, it’s felt like we’re on our way to doing some good things,” Goodman said.
It helps that the team’s best offensive player’s swing is portable.