DENVER—Colorado Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio has left Saturday’s game in the second inning with a strained left knee.
Nicasio left after the Dodgers’ Elian Herrera hit a ground ball through Nicasio’s legs into center field. Although the ball didn’t appear to hit Nicasio, assistant trainer Scott Gehret and manager Jim Tracy went to the mound. After a brief discussion Nicasio left the game in favor of Josh Roenicke.
Nicasio was hurt last Aug. 5 when a line drive by Washington’s Ian Desmond hit him in the head. He underwent surgery to have two pins inserted into his cracked C-1 vertebra and also had a small metal plate attached to the back of his neck.
He made an inspirational return to the Rockies rotation this season. He is 2-2 with 5.11 ERA in 11 starts.