Manny Corpas went home Friday night wishing for a small medical miracle, hoping a cortisone shot and a day of rest would heal his right elbow.
That didn’t happen. Today, the Rockies will place Corpas on the 15-day disabled list.
To fill the roster spot, the club will call up right-hander Juan Rincon from Triple-A Colorado Springs, a source said this afternoon. Rincon is 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA in eight appearances. He is 32-27 with a 3.84 ERA in 416 Major League games with the Twins, Indians and Tigers.
Manager Jim Tracy isn’t sure who will set up closer Huston Street tonight or in the future, saying it could well depend on the situation. The Rockies could use right-handers Rincon or Matt Daley, or lefties Alan Embree and Randy Flores in that role.
Losing Corpas is a blow, but the Rockies had no choice but to put him on the DL.
“We just feel like it’s going to take longer than 48 hours for this to quiet down, if it quiets down,” Tracy said this afternoon. “So we are going to take the necessary precautions.”
An MRI taken Friday afternoon revealed a bone chip in Corpas” elbow. He woke up Friday morning with his elbow sore and swollen after an effective performance Thursday afternoon against Tampa Bay.
“We thought it might be better in a few days, but I don’t think so,” Corpas said today. “So they put me on the disabled list.
Corpas said that arthroscopic surgery to remove the bone chip is an option, but he said he hopes that can wait until the end of the season.
Tracy said there are no immediate plans for surgery.
Over the last few weeks, Corpas has resembled the pitcher who helped the Rockies get to the World Series in 2007. His slider has had terrific bit and he’s kept the ball low in the zone. Eight of his last 10 outings were scoreless and he’d notched 11 strikeouts in his last 10 innings pitched.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
