Rockies' McCarthy, ranked with Barkley in 2015, turns speed into inside-the-park homers

Purple Row flagged him for a third such homer Thursday

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 181 min read

Scranton’s Jake McCarthy ranked along side Saquon Barkley as one of the top high school running backs in Pennsylvania in Via @TroyRenck on X

What happened: Jake McCarthy was ranked alongside Saquon Barkley as one of Pennsylvania's top high school running backs in the 2015 class, and that football background now shows up in a run of inside-the-park home runs for Colorado. The Rockies host Cincinnati Saturday with the score still 0-0 before first pitch.

Why it matters: The highlight-reel homers are one of the few bright spots for a Colorado team that has lost three straight and sits well under .500 this season. With the trade deadline approaching, McCarthy's speed-driven power has become a recurring talking point around a Rockies roster otherwise being picked apart for trade chips.

By the numbers: Colorado is 35-55 with a 4.7 runs-scored, 5.7 runs-allowed split and has dropped four of its last five. Cincinnati took the previous meeting between the two clubs 7-2 on July 17.

What to watch: Colorado and Cincinnati play again Saturday, with McCarthy's legs a factor to watch after his run of inside-the-park power the past two weeks.

Sources

@TroyRenck 2026-07-18T16:42:11.340136+00:00

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