SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The knock on Rockies catcher Tom Murphy as he climbed through the minor-leagues as one of Colorado’s top prospects was always his work behind the plate. Some scouts saw heavy-handed defense. Murphy heard those broadsides. He was ready to silence them.
“Everything seemed like it was coming together,” Murphy said of his work this spring.
Instead, Murphy will miss four to six weeks after suffering a hairline fracture in his right forearm, Colorado manager Bud Black said Tuesday. Once a near-lock to start the season on Colorado’s roster, Murphy is now going to have to heal, then battle his way back to the big club.
Murphy broke his arm Saturday when the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo swung and his bat hit Murphy’s arm while Murphy was throwing to second base on a steal attempt. The ball sailed into center field and Rizzo was called for interference. Murphy played through the seventh inning before he left the game on a pre-planned schedule.
His injury was only discovered later. Early X-rays showed no bone damage. But later tests revealed a fracture. His arm is now immobilized in a splint. Murphy will not need surgery.
“Defensively, I felt great,” Murphy said. “I was in a good position catching. That was my goal coming in, to really make sure the guys knew that was my priority.”
Murphy, 25, is the latest in a string of recent Rockies injuries. First baseman in a game against the Reds and broke his hand. He will undergo surgery Wednesday and likely will miss several weeks. Right-handed starter a recurrence of his testicular cancer and he will need chemotherapy. His season is in doubt. And left-hander Chris Rusin, a candidate to be the Rockies’ No. 4 starter, and might not pitch in spring games. He has been ruled out as a starting candidate for the start of the season. And David Dahl, who was battling to start in left field, and is still not able to resume hitting.
Murphy, the Rockies hoped, would provide slugging potential near the bottom of their lineup. He hit 19 home runs in 80 games for Triple-A Albuquerque last season. Colorado has not had a catcher with significant power since Wilin Rosario hit 62 home runs over three seasons from 2012-2014.
“We have to let the human body heal itself,” Black said. “These 4-6ers in March, you don’t like them, but you can live with them.”
Murphy said he will fill his time while sidelined by working with pitchers on scouting reports while also drilling his glove work, one-handed.
“I’ll hammer my receiving,” he said.
The Rockies will now turn to Tony Wolters and Dustin Garneau as their likely catching duo to share playing time.
Wolters, 24, backed up veteran Nick Hundley last season, playing in 71 games. He had a .327 on-base percentage. Wolters, though, clearly improved the Rockies defensively, displaying a strong arm and quick hands. Hundley signed with the Giants in the off-season.
Garneau, 29, debuted with the Rockies in 2015, then shuttled between Triple-A and Coors Field as a top emergency option. He played in 24 games last season.
Black said he will also consider Anthony Bemboom and Jan Vazquez as catching options. Neither, though, are on Colorado’s 40-man roster.
“As a team, we will be resilient,” Black said. “Knowing that Bettis will be out for awhile, knowing that David Dahl will be out for awhile, knowing that Ian Desmond will be out for awhile, the other players are good players who will get that playing time.”
