Rockies designate C Iannetta for assignment

The Colorado Rockies parted ways with veteran catcher Chris Iannetta on Tuesday, designating him for assignment.

The 36-year-old is in the final season of a two-year, $8.5 million contract, but the team wants to make room for catcher Dom Nunez, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday.

Iannetta is the Rockies' career leader at catcher in games played (571) and games started (531). He appeared in 620 games for Colorado overall.

He is batting .222 with six homers and 21 RBIs in 52 games this season, with Tony Wolters having emerged as Colorado's No. 1 backstop.

Iannetta has played 14 major league seasons with the Rockies (2006-11, 2018-19), Los Angeles Angels (2012-15), Seattle Mariners (2016) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2017). He owns a .230 career average with 141 home runs and 502 RBIs in 1,197 games.

Nunez, 24, hit .244 with 17 homers and 42 RBIs in 61 games this year for Albuquerque.

The Rockies also made a pitching transaction, calling up right-hander Jeff Hoffman from Albuquerque to make a spot start Tuesday night with righty Jon Gray scratched due to a sore left ankle. Right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A.

Hoffman, 26, was 1-3 with a 6.57 ERA in eight starts for Colorado earlier this season. He went 6-6 with a 7.91 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for Albuquerque.

Gonzalez, 27, was 0-4 with a 6.57 ERA in six games (five starts) for the Rockies in 2019. He got a no-decision Saturday at San Diego, where he allowed five runs on eight hits in five innings.

--Field Level Media