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Denver • The Colorado Rockies finalized a $70 million, five-year contract with All-Star outfielder Ian Desmond on Tuesday.
Next up, turning him into a first baseman.
With an abundance of outfielders, the Rockies are exploring the possibility of Desmond taking over at first — a spot he's never played in his career.
Desmond was an All-Star outfielder for the Texas Rangers last season when he hit .285 with 22 homers and 86 RBIs. Before that, he was primarily a shortstop for the Washington Nationals.
The Rockies paid him a lucrative deal to learn a new skill set at Coors Field, where he's a .379 career hitter in 23 games. The 31-year-old Desmond will fill in for Mark Reynolds, who's now a free agent.
Colorado already has a shortstop in Trevor Story.