Parra dealing with struggles after first DL stint

PHILADELPHIA — An hour before first pitch on Saturday night, Gerardo Parra was in relaxation mode, or as close as he could come to it. The rest of his teammates were donning black, sleeveless tops and the starters were thinking baseball, while Parra was in the dugout in T-shirt and shorts, on his phone.

Part of the reason Parra was out of the lineup against the Phillies was so he could slow down a bit. In six games, including five starts, since returning from a 46-game absence because of a troublesome left high ankle sprain, Parra has hit .192 and compiled a .192 on-base percentage, meaning no walks or other base-reaching accomplishments.

Parra and Rockies manager Walt Weiss each said Friday’s 1-for-4 performance in a 10-6 loss to the Phillies was a start. He saw more pitches and didn’t let his aggressiveness work against him. But Parra said being in a new situation is difficult.

“It’s hard because it’s my first time coming off the disabled list,” Parra said. “I missed two months. But I feel really close. Maybe in a couple days, maybe tomorrow. … Whenever I get it back, I’m working toward that. I’m working every day.

“When I came back, I wanted to do my best for my team. But I need to see more pitches, see the ball in the zone and put it in play.”

The Rockies signed Parra to a three-year, $27.5 million contract this winter, based …

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