The Rockies’ bullpen got rocked Friday night when the club was forced to put setup reliever Manuel Corpas on the disabled list.
According to a source close to Corpas, an MRI taken Friday revealed bone chips in Corpas’ right elbow. Corpas had a cortisone shot in hopes it will reduce problems in the elbow.
Corpas, 26, reported to Coors Field on Friday with a slightly sore and slightly swollen elbow.
The Rockies didn’t see this coming, particularly after Corpas threw a scoreless eighth inning in each of his last two appearances. In fact, manager Jim Tracy said Corpas was pitching his best baseball of the season.
“It stunned him and it stunned us,” Tracy said Friday. “As a matter of fact, he threw the ball even better yesterday than he did on Wednesday. And he threw a minimal number of pitches. We are obviously going to be proactive on this, and we want to find out what the heck is going on with this — immediately.”
According to the source, Corpas didn’t think the injury was a big deal.
Tracy wasn’t sure who would be the setup reliever for closer Huston Street. Tracy could use rookie right- hander Matt Daley or veteran lefty Alan Embree.
“A lot of that will depend on the situation, especially in the case of tonight’s game,” Tracy said Friday.
The Rockies lost setup man Taylor Buchholz during spring training with an elbow injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
