Get ready for Tulo mania. The All-Star is back, and he’s dropping by Colorado Springs.

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is expected to begin a major-league rehabilitation stint Wednesday with the Sky Sox at Security Service Field – his first action since he went on the 15-day disabled list May 31 with a strained left groin. The Sky Sox will play the Reno Aces, the Triple-A club of the Diamondbacks, at 12:35 p.m., with tickets starting at $10.

Photo Gallery from Tuesday’s game

Tulowitzki should be able to help the Sky Sox, who are 2-6 in their past eight games after a 13-7 defeat Tuesday to Reno. A 6-2 lead by the Sky Sox (30-35) vanished as Reno (39-27) scored 10 runs in a sixth inning capped by a Rusty Ryal grand slam, his second home run of the night. Sky Sox reliever Edgmer Escalona was ejected in the eighth for rubbing his fingers on a foreign substance on his left forearm – he might be suspended 10 games.

Chances are Tulowitzki, 27, won’t be in the Springs beyond Wednesday, as the Sky Sox depart Thursday on a four-game trip to Las Vegas and don’t return home until June 19. If Tulowitzki needs more than one game to get back into shape, he’ll continue with the Sky Sox to Las Vegas. If not, Tulowitzki likely will rejoin the Rockies on Friday in Detroit.

Adding Tulowitzki doesn’t require the Sky Sox to make a roster move – on Tuesday, the Sky Sox sent catcher Dallas Tarleton back to Single-A Modesto after they signed catcher Omir Santos as a minor-league free agent. Four other Rockies – Charlie Blackmon, Jorge De La Rosa, Chris Nelson and Josh Outman – have rehabbed with the Sky Sox this year, and eight players with the Rockies have spent time in the Springs the past two months.

“A lot of these guys have been playing Triple-A,” Sky Sox manager Stu Cole said, noting that he plans to bat Tulowitzki third in the lineup. “They’re used to stuff like that. Guys come down on rehab assignments to get their work in. It’s not a big deal for us.”

A two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner, Tulowitzki has recently hit in the batting cage and fielded groundballs, but he hasn’t run the bases or practiced taking the first step out of the batter’s box since his May 30 injury. He had battled a groin injury since the first series of the season, despite an offseason regimen that included changes to his diet, yoga sessions and numerous workouts with personal trainers and sprint coaches.

Tulowitzki never played for the Sky Sox in his quick rise to the majors, getting the call to the Rockies from Double-A Tulsa. He has had a pair of two-game rehab outings with the Sky Sox, in 2008 when he was sidelined 47 games with a quadriceps tendon tear and in 2010 when he fractured his left hand. In all, he’s 4-for-11 with an RBI with the Sky Sox.

Don’t think Tulowitzki, the leader in All-Star voting among NL shortstops, will increase his off days with the Rockies, who have gone 4-7 minus Tulowitzki in losing six straight games to drop 12 games below .500. Tulowitzki was on a nine-game hitting streak when he got hurt, and he had raised his batting average to .287, with eight homers and 27 RBIs.

“Some of the fans may not be able to go up to Denver and see this guy play,” said Cole, who will start Drew Pomeranz on Wednesday against D’Backs top prospect Trevor Bauer. “For him to come down here, the fans get a chance to see him – up close and personal. In the big leagues, the seats are farther back. They get to interact with him more down here, and he does a great job taking time out to sign autographs. It’s fun for the fans.”

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Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazettedev.gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazetteskysox. Google+: Brian Gomez. For the Sky Sox homepage, visit http://www.gazettedev.gazette.com/sections/roxsox. For the Sky Sox blog, visit http://skysox.freedomblogging.com.