DENVER—Colorado is about to get some reinforcements for its pitching staff. The lineup, well, that’s still a problem.
Jorge De La Rosa and Taylor Buchholz will begin minor league rehabilitation assignments next week after throwing well in a simulated game Saturday at Coors Field.
De La Rosa (3-1, 3.91 ERA) has been out since April 25 with a torn tendon in his left middle finger. He is scheduled to start for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Wednesday, when he will be limited to 65 to 70 pitches.
If all goes well, the left-hander will throw 75 to 80 pitches on July 27 and 90 to 95 on July 2. The earliest he could be back in Colorado’s rotation is July 7 against St. Louis.
Buchholz, a right-handed reliever who had offseason elbow surgery, will begin his rehab assignment with Colorado Springs on Thursday.
Manager Jim Tracy said both pitchers threw much better Saturday than they did in a simulated game at Minnesota earlier in the week.
Tracy seemed particularly pleased with De La Rosa’s progress.
“I didn’t see any reservation whatsoever from De La Rosa in throwing his off-speed pitches this afternoon,” Tracy said. “And I did see a couple that got thrown the other day in Minnesota that suggested a little tentativeness on his part. He may not feel that way. But I didn’t see any of that today.
“I saw him throwing all his pitches and throwing them aggressively and with conviction, which was a very, very good sign.”
De La Rosa said he felt fine and had no trouble with his injured finger on any of his pitches.
When healthy, De La Rosa teamed with Ubaldo Jimenez (13-1) to form a potent duo, and the Rockies are eager to see the two anchoring their rotation again this summer.
“It would be a tough argument to say that there’s a better 1-2 in the National League than those two,” Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs said. “We’ve had great pitching all year, from our starters to our bullpen. Obviously getting De La Rosa back would be another shot in the arm, but it’s not like our pitching’s been suffering at all during this time.”
It’s the poor hitting that’s bogged down the team many felt was the best in the NL West back in the spring.
The Rockies took a punch to the gut Friday when cleanup hitter Troy Tulowitzki, the only consistent bat in the lineup, learned he had a fractured left wrist that could sideline him until August.
Tulowitzki avoided reporters for a second straight day Saturday, leaving the park before Colorado’s game against Milwaukee.
Center fielder Carlos Gonzalez’s sprained left knee is still sore and Tracy said he doesn’t expect him to start again until Tuesday when the Rockies open a three-game interleague series against the Boston Red Sox.
The Rockies also were awaiting word on how closer Huston Street did with Colorado Springs on Saturday night in what everyone hoped was a final tuneup for a return to the big leagues.
Street has been sidelined since spring training with an inflamed right shoulder and subsequent groin issues that cropped up during his rehab.
Upon his return, Street likely will serve in the setup role vacated by Matt Daley (inflamed right shoulder) rather than jumping right back into the closer’s role now held by Manny Corpas.
Corpas has done very well and Street hasn’t thrown off a big league mound since the NL divisional playoffs against Philadelphia last fall.
“There needs to be a little bit of a massaging there before you just run him out there in the ninth inning of a one-run game,” Tracy said.
