Kris Bryant’s injury woes continued last week when the former MVP went on the injured list with a lower-back strain, a setback that has become a recurring theme during his tenure with the Colorado Rockies. Placed on the IL retroactively to April 14, Bryant was eligible to return on Wednesday, but manager Bud Black has indicated that the first baseman/outfielder has not yet been cleared for baseball activities. Black emphasized that surgery is not on the table, but no timeline for Bryant’s return has been established.
Injuries have plagued Bryant throughout his three seasons in Denver. His 2022 campaign was cut short in August due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, and he missed significant time last year with a heel contusion and a broken finger. The four-time All-Star has appeared in just 135 games with Colorado, amassing 571 plate appearances. His batting line stands at a middling .249/.329/.391, including a disappointing .149/.273/.255 mark over 13 games this season.
Elehuris Montero has taken over as the primary first baseman in Bryant’s absence, but the 25-year-old has yet to capitalize on the opportunity. Entering Tuesday night’s game against the Padres, Montero had a meager .210/.250/.226 slash line in 68 plate appearances. The Astros are the only team that has received less offensive production from their first basemen overall.
The corner outfield has not fared much better. Colorado’s left fielders entered play Tuesday with a dismal .149/.237/.253 line, ranking 28th in the league in wRC+. This poor performance is largely due to a rough start from Nolan Jones, who was arguably the team’s best player in 2023. After an impressive .297/.389/.542 showing last year, Jones has struggled mightily in the ’24 campaign, posting a .148/.219/.250 slash line. He snapped an 0-26 skid with a base hit in Tuesday’s win over San Diego but was removed from the game in the seventh inning due to back stiffness. The Rockies are hoping it is nothing more than a minor issue as the 25-year-old tries to recapture last year’s form. Jake Cave came off the bench to finish the game in left and could see more playing time if Jones requires a break.
Injuries have also impacted the Rockies’ pitching staff. Colorado went into the season without Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela as they recover from Tommy John procedures. Kyle Freeland joined them on the injured list last week with an elbow injury. An MRI revealed a small strain in his UCL, but Freeland expressed optimism about the prognosis, stating that doctors do not expect the injury to worsen. The Rockies are targeting a four-to-six week timeline for Freeland’s return.
In more positive news, lefty reliever Lucas Gilbreath has taken a significant step forward in his recovery from Tommy John surgery in March 2023. Colorado assigned Gilbreath to Triple-A Albuquerque to begin a minor league rehab assignment. While the results were not spectacular—two runs on a hit and two walks with one out—it is encouraging that he was able to throw 18 pitches in his first affiliated game action since August 2022. Now 28 years old, Gilbreath had solid results between 2021 and 2022, logging 85 2/3 innings with a 3.78 ERA and striking out a quarter of batters faced. Despite below-average command, Gilbreath showed potential as a setup option before his surgery.
