SAN DIEGO • On the Rockies, Yonathan Daza is one of the newest members of the group. But when he was rehabbing in Arizona, Daza was like the cool, big brother.

Daza, in his second season with the Rockies, was placed on the COVID list July 16 along with five other players and coaches. He was stuck at home, quarantined and bored out of his mind.

Daza, who has established himself as an everyday player for the Rockies this year, was shut down from baseball activities. It was hard to be away from the team and the sport he loves.

“On my last day before I went to Arizona, I almost cried,” Daza said. “I told my mom I was tired of doing nothing. It was tough for me.”

But rehabbing at the Rockies’ complex in Salt River gave him a new perspective. Daza worked out alongside rookie players just starting out in their career. It reminded him how far he’s come since he signed his first contract with the Rockies at the age of 16 and moved to the U.S. a few years later.

The players in Arizona, especially the ones from Venezuela like him, idolized him. And they had a lot of questions. They wanted to hear about how he got to the major leagues, and how he got through those tough days when making it to the show seemed like it would never happen. They also picked his brain about the pace of play at the major league level, and how they can prepare themselves.

Mostly, though, they just hung out. It’s a tradition for major leaguers to buy minor league players food when they are on rehab assignment, and Daza took that unspoken obligation very seriously. He hosted over 25 players in his room every night during his six-day stay, buying them pizza and other goodies. Daza, who loves dancing and music, had his speakers blasting. He loved being the party room, he said.

Daza was activated Sunday, and reported giddily to Petco Park with a skip in his step. But this trip refreshed him, and helped him refocus on what’s important.

“I feel blessed to go there and do some work with those kids,” Daza said. “I don’t want to miss a lot of games, but that happened and I can’t control it. I’m going to enjoy that experience.”