Tovar really put his name on the map in the 2023 season. As a rookie, the shortstop collected 37 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs and 73 RBIs on his way to a 2.5 bWAR season. He struck out at a high rate, 27 percent, but was a plus defender to make up for his deficiencies at the plate.

He then took a big step forward at the plate in 2024. He led the NL in doubles (45), hit another four triples, and led the Rockies in home runs with 26. Despite striking out 200 times, he was able to raise his OPS+ from 79 the previous season to 100 with a .763 OPS. He even won a Gold Glove with his defense helping to boost his bWAR to 3.9.

The shortstop looked to repeat it this season, but it was derailed quite quickly. On April 19, Tovar hit the injured list with a left hip contusion sustained on a diving play. He came back on May 16, but hit the IL once again on June 6 with a left oblique strain. After playing over 150 games in each of the past two seasons, he won’t make it past 100 this year.

“It’s something that takes a lot out of you. You never want to be out for any time. And when you have that kind of injury, you’ve got to start from zero. You have to be able to fully recover. You have to get your timing back — do everything like you’re starting from Spring Training,” he told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding through interpreter Edwin Perez.

Missing all of that time and the up and down from rehab seemed to effect him pretty greatly this season.

In 93 games, the 24-year-old has hit .256 with a .701 OPS, nine home runs, 18 doubles and 33 driven in. His slugging percentage is way down from .469 last season to .402 this year, and just got over the .400 mark after a home run in Friday night’s loss.

Multiple injuries caused him to go from getting MVP votes last year, to having a well below league average OPS+ at 82. But that’s not going to keep his spirits down for long.

“You can go to the beach. You let all the bad vibes, all the little bad energy out there, (and) go enjoy yourself and forget the bad things. Any time I’m doing back, the bat has no guilt in that. I’m not going to show it on the bat. I don’t like to show that emotion. I don’t want to show others that. I just try to stay keen, you’ve got to stay youself, be true,” he said.

2025 was a setback for Tovar, but he’s shown over the past two seasons what kind of player he is at the height of his powers. A shortstop that hits over 20 homers a year is bound to be valuable, especially when his 99th percentile outs above average, according to Baseball Savant, is factored in.

“… Everybody knows what he expects of himself in terms of his production. In his mind, he hasn’t met that his year. And every day he goes out there, he’s the same guy, the same leader…” manager Warren Schaeffer said.

Not only is he valuable and a leader on the field, but he’s also one off of it. That’s impressive at a young age, but as someone playing an important position at a high level on a bad team, he’s bound to become a leader.

Now, he’ll need to prove that he can bounce back in a big way after the injuries and become an essential piece of the future for a franchise in limbo.

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