4 Pat Valaika 1B

Valaika will start Saturday against Seattle in place of the injured D.J. LeMahieu (back).

Valaika will bat eighth and play second base. He'll face the left-handed Wade LeBlanc.

Valaika will be starting at shortstop Saturday in place of Trevor Story, who was scratched with a bruised foot, Nick Groke of The Athletic Denver reports.

Valaika has found the going much tougher at the plate this season after posting an .817 OPS in 195 plate appearances last year, hitting just .133/.191/.217 in 90 plate appearances so far.

Valaika was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Valaika will provide added depth behind DJ LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado in the infield after spending the past four weeks at the Triple-A level. Over 37 games with the Rockies this season, Valaika is hitting just .120/.185/.173. In a corresponding move, Yency Almonte was optioned to the minors.

Valaika was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

The Rockies decided to swap Valaika out for Ryan McMahon with Valaika off to a dismal .120/.185/.173 start through 82 plate appearances. Valaika had a healthy .533 slugging percentage in 195 plate appearances with the big club last year and figures return at some point later this summer, but it's starting to look like he may not hit enough to ever become a major-league regular.

Valaika was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday.

Valaika will take the roster spot of DJ Lemahieu, who was sent to the disabled list with a thumb sprain before Monday night's game against San Diego. In 28 games for Colorado, Valaika owns a brutal .330 OPS, so expect him to ride the bench while Daniel Castro gets the bulk of the at-bats at second base in LeMahieu's absence.