SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Rockies on Friday optioned right-hander David Hale to minor-league camp, the team said, removing a season-opening rotation option. They also reassigned five players to the minors.
Rookie right-hander Jon Gray on Thursday said he will miss at least two weeks with an abdominal strain, leaving the Rockies with four pitchers in their rotation: lefty Jorge De La Rosa and right-handers Chad Bettis, Tyler Chatwood and Jordan Lyles.
Hale was an option to replace Gray, but he is still recovering from a hamstring strain suffered early in spring training. His option to Triple-A will give him time to build up, manager Walt Weiss said.
“We were running out of time with him,” Weiss said of Hale. “There are only so many innings to go around up here.”
The Rockies are running out of starting options. Lefty Chris Rusin will throw 30-35 pitches in his first spring game Saturday after waiting through a middle finger injury. But he won’t be built up enough to grab a starting spot, despite his experience last season.
That leaves long reliever Christian Bergman a likely option for the Rockies’ fifth starting spot. Rusin could replace him in the bullpen, Weiss said. Or Colorado could use a four-man rotation until April 15 when the team departs for a road trip to Chicago and Cincinnati.
The Rockies also reassigned to minor-league camp right-handers Nelson Gonzalez and Brock Huntzinger; catcher Ryan Casteel; and outfielders Kyle Parker and Michael Tauchman.
