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We’re not sure what the Rockies are going for at this point, but there’s no good reason for Johnston having started the last three games while Zac Veen and Jordan Beck played just once apiece. Johnston certainly hasn’t embarrassed himself in hitting .283/.353/.399 in 417 plate appearances this season, but that’s still slightly below league-average offense for a Coors Field player and it comes with weak defense in the outfield. He shouldn’t be in the Rockies’ plans for 2027.

It’s a hitless week for Johnston, though he had just 12 at-bats in series against the Dodgers and Giants. He’s still batting .301/.374/.417 for the season, but as a platoon guy and a subpar defensive outfielder, he’s not really moving the needle for the Rockies. Depending on whether the Rockies trade some of their other left-handed bats, Johnston is a candidate to be phased out when the team decides to give Charlie Condon and maybe another youngster or two a look.

It’s his second day off in a row against a right-hander and third day off in four games, perhaps portending that we shouldn’t consider Johnston a full-time starter against righties anymore. Sterlin Thompson is DHing while Tyler Freeman plays right field.

It was the only scoring the Rockies could muster against a pair of openers and Carmen Mlodzinski. Johnston managed to misplay a Spencer Horowitz fly ball that he thought would carom off the wall but instead landed on the track after he’d already stopped. So it goes. Johnston still qualifies as a success story for the Rockies, he’s up to a .326/.387/.465 seasonal line with two homers.

Johnston’s emergence as a viable heart-of-the-order option for the Rockies this season has been a fun development as he’s hitting .320/.376/.460 with two homers, 16 RBI and one steal through 29 games. The 28-year-old is in a groove right now, batting .370 (10-for-27) with six RBI over his last seven games.

With his Rockies up one, Johnston delivered a clutch, two-run knock to stretch their lead out. The Mets wound up responding with a rally of their own, but fell one run short. Just as he and his teammates have done all season, Johnston attacked a first-pitch fastball from Sean Manaea to get his big hit. On the season, he has a .317 batting average and .834 OPS as a pleasant surprise in the middle of the Rockies’ order.

Johnson also singled. His second of the double of the contest was a big one; a two-run two-bagger that gave the Rockies a 4-3 win to help Colorado to an upset win. Johnston has looked the part in his first chance as a regular, and is now slashing .305/.359/.492. At the very least, he’s played well enough to be monitored; especially when you consider his home park.

Johnston was hit by a Spencer Arrighetti pitch in the first inning Wednesday, though he remained in initially. If he can’t play Thursday, then it’s more likely Jake McCarthy will be in the lineup.

Johnson also drove in a run with a double to give Colorado a 4-3 lead. His homer came in the sixth off a completely-ineffective Ryan Weiss to extend that cushion to 9-4. Johnston has swung the bat well to begin the season, and the 28-year-old has a chance to earn regular playing time for the (obviously) rebuilding Rockies.

Johnston is a name to know for fantasy managers in extremely deep mixed leagues and NL-only formats since he projects to open the year as Colorado’s starting first baseman with Blaine Crim potentially hitting the injured list with an oblique injury. The 28-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Marlins last November after finally getting his opportunity at the highest level last year. He’s one of the few cold corner options with some decent stolen base potential and should benefit from hitting at Coors Field’s high-octane environment.

Johnston, 28, finally got his first chance to play in the majors in August and did solid work in hitting .277/.331/.420 in 121 plate appearances. He doesn’t offer much upside, but he gives the Rockies another potentially adequate first base stopgap to go along with Blaine Crim and Michael Toglia. They could compete for the job in spring training as the Rockies await the arrival of Charlie Condon.

As a team, the Marlins were only able to muster five hits in the ballgame, all of them singles. Johnston was the only member of the Marlins to collect more than one. He singled off of Walker Buehler to lead off the third inning but was ultimately stranded at third base. He also singled off of David Robertson in the ninth inning. The 28-year-old is now hitting .283/.339/.434 with four homers and 13 RBI in 115 plate appearances with the Fish.

Johnston put the Marlins on the board in the second inning, driving in a run on a base hit. He later gave the team the lead with a solo homer off Jack Leiter in the sixth. The 28-year-old outfielder is hitting .283/.336/.444 with four homers and 13 RBI across 107 plate appearances.

Johnston drew a walk in the third inning, then took Troy Melton deep for a solo homer in the sixth. With the game tied in the 11th inning, Johnston sent everyone home with a walk-off two-run blast off Rafael Montero for his second homer of the game and third of the season. The 28-year-old first baseman is hitting .265/.315/.422 across 89 plate appearances, starting primarily against right-handed pitching.