That bright smile Ryan Ritter has flashed since being called up by the Colorado Rockies isn’t just because of the joy he feels after making it to the big leagues.

He also has a flossing habit that goes with him on the field as a part of his daily routine.

A dental floss pick is in Ritter’s back pocket as he hits the diamond for the Rockies, part of a superstition that began in Triple-A Albuquerque. The plastic apparatus was in his back pocket as he earned consecutive Pacific Coast League player of the week honors.

“I’ve had the flosser for a while now,” Ritter said Sunday at Coors Field as Colorado beat Arizona 4-2, his smile showing off the benefits of elite dental hygiene.

“I tried a different one out and then I got to a point where I was, like, it isn’t really the floss. It’s really about how you’re feeling and how you’re doing every day.”

So the floss pick routine changed?

“I put a different one in (Saturday) night, so I’m going to roll with that one for a couple more games,” he said.

With Gold Glove shortstop Ezequiel Tovar on the injured list with a left oblique strain and no set time for his return, the Rockies will continue to roll with the 24-year-old Ritter.

Ranked 11th among Colorado prospects by MLBPipeline.com, Ritter planted himself firmly in Colorado’s plans by slashing .381/.445/.918 in 97 May at-bats, earning the PCL hitter of the month award.

Now with Colorado, Ritter has been more than an adequate replacement for Tovar at shortstop, interim manager Warren Schaeffer said.

“What I’ve seen from him here has been a very solid shortstop,” Schaeffer said. “His game knowledge, knowing the speed of the runner, internal clock and strong throws, he’s been doing it all well for me. I’ve really enjoyed watching him push himself.”

Through his first 49 at-bats, Ritter is slashing .224/.250/.327. Those numbers includes a six-game hitting streak to start his career, beginning with a triple in his first game on June 6, a hit that showcased his speed that is ranked in the 90th percentile among all MLB players.

However, Ritter went through a 2-for-15 stretch over his next five games. Those moments reminded him that reaching the big leagues does not guarantee success once there.

“I got away from some habits that I had in Albuquerque and I’m slowly working my way back into them,” said Ritter, a fourth-round draft pick of the Rockies in 2022. “I was feeling a little off, and I know it’s part of the game so I know it’s going to come back eventually, but it’s all about the everyday process.”

Getting back on track, Ritter said, was not only about getting back into the right habits, but also leaning on his more experienced teammates for wisdom.

“I was talking to my teammates about some things that they think about or do at the plate,” Ritter said. “Now it feels like I have more slack in the bat and can get to balls better and smoother. I felt like I was really tense with my upper body and that led to not seeing the ball as well as I could.”

Ritter credits fellow veteran infielders Ryan McMahon, Kyle Farmer and Thairo Estrada for helping him in the first part of his MLB journey. The final two have not only given Ritter advice, but also teamed up with him as a part of Colorado’s new-look middle infield with Tovar on the shelf.

“All good things take time,” Ritter said of the middle infield chemistry needed to turn a double play. “The more we’re together, the better things will get.”

And that’s certainly something to smile about.

***

Sunday: Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 2

What happened: Colorado’s Mickey Moniak hit his 11th home run of the season, his three-run shot just clearing the right field wall in the fifth inning. Moniak now has eight home runs over his last 18 games since May 25. A trio of Rockies had singles before Moniak’s blast, including Braxton Fulford’s RBI hit into center field.

On the mound: Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela improved to 3-10 by striking out a season-high five batters over 5.1 innings, scattering four hits and allowing just two runs. Colorado’s bullpen covered the final 3.2 frames, with four relievers combining to keep Arizona off the scoreboard. Seth Halvorsen navigated the ninth for his sixth save of 2025.

At the plate: Tyler Freeman led off the game with a single, extending his career-best hitting streak to 10 games. Michael Toglia went 0-for-4, snapping his six-game on-base streak since being recalled from Triple-A on June 16.

What’s next: Colorado’s German Marquez (3-8, 6.11 ERA) has been stellar recently, posting a 2.93 ERA over his last six starts spanning 33.2 innings. After an off day Monday, he takes that streak into Tuesday’s matchup against the defending world champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field at 6:40 p.m.