WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 09: Tommy Kahnle #54 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the ninth for his 2nd save during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 9, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
With John Axford temporarily relegated from the Colorado Rockies' closer role, manager Walt Weiss won't name a long-term replacement for Axford, but revealed which reliever will be given a chance to close out games for the Rockies in the interim.
Weiss said Saturday that righty Tommy Kahlne will be given a shot as the Rockies' closer in Axford's absence, but stressed that there's no permanence to the appointment.
"We'll give him some opportunities," Weiss said of Kahlne. "I'm not necessarily committing to anything in that ninth inning, but I think the way Tommy performed last night he gets a shot."
So far, the 26-year-old reliever has thrived in the role, not allowing a hit or a run and notching a save in both save opportunities he had over the weekend.
"I know he's got as good of stuff as anybody in the league," catcher Nick Hundley said. "He's never going to be Greg Maddux, but he doesn't have to be. When he has the fastball command to go with [that changeup], he's going to be really tough."
(h/t MLB.com)
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