DENVER -- A day after taking sole possession of first place in the National League West, the Rockies fortified their roster with a handful of September call-ups. Three of the new members of the active roster -- outfielder Raimel Tapia, infielder Chris Hampson and left-handed pitcher Sam Howard -- are returning to the Rockies after brief stints earlier in the season, and two -- right-hander D.J. Johnson and outfielder Yonathan Daza -- were promoted to the Majors for the first time.
Adding the players to the big league roster gives the Rockies some specific tools on their bench, and it also gives promising prospects an excellent opportunity to be tested in the fires of a pennant race.