SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ian Desmond returned to the Rockies clubhouse Thursday, a day after surgeons repaired a broken bone in his left hand. Even with his arm wrapped like a club, with a metal plate inserted under the skin, Desmond’s prognosis made Colorado manager Bud Black a bit cheery.
“Now the healing process begins,” Black said. “Mentally he’s doing great. We’re thinking that hopefully he will return to action in April.”
An April return, in the first month of the season, is an optimistic timeline and a best-case scenario for the Rockies and Desmond, . Colorado catcher , with a hairline fracture in his right arm, is also expected back in four to six weeks, the Rockies said. But his injury was not a full break and Murphy does not need surgery.
Tampa Bay outfielder Kevin Kiermaier broke a metacarpal bone in his left hand last season. After surgery, he missed seven weeks.
“It was a break. And breaks take four to six weeks,” Black said. He expects Desmond to be in a game sometime in April.
“He’ll need some game activity to get his legs underneath him, to get his timing down,” Black said. “Then it’s pretty much how the player feels and his readiness.”
Desmond, who is now on pain medication, should be able to throw and train and do some one-handed swing mechanics exercises, without endangering his left hand.
Gonzalez waiting. Rockies right-handed reliever Rayan Gonzalez underwent an MRI on his injured pitching elbow Wednesday night and he was waiting for the worrisome results.
Gonzalez, a 26-year-old prospect, left a Cactus League game . He pointed to his forearm and tried to make a fist. Trainers took him immediately to the clubhouse.
“I’m concerned about this one,” Black said, hinting at the possibility of Tommy John surgery. “It was elbow discomfort. He was feeling some pain.”
The Rockies in November added Gonzalez to their 40-man roster and he seemed headed for a big-league debut this season.
Motte struggling. Through four Cactus League innings this spring, veteran reliever gave up six runs on nine hits. Opponents are hitting .500 against him. The Rockies on Wednesday sent Motte to the backfields for one inning in a minor-league intrasquad game.
“He came out of it physically fine, got his work in, it was productive,” Black said. “We have a lot of pitchers and we’re trying to get them work. This was an opportunity to get his work done.”
Motte threw 20 pitches and gave up three hits. His fastball in spring sits in the low- to mid-90-mph range, down from the mid-90s last season.
“That’s probably where he’ll end up in the season,” Black said. He said Motte is not injured.
