The Rockies’ game against Philadelphia got off to a bad start Friday night when rookie left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland departed the game in the first inning with a left groin injury.
After the Rockies pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Phillies, manager Bud Black called Freeland’s injury “a groin strain and a groin pull.”
Black was cautious about discussing the severity of the injury or putting a timeline on how long Freeland might be out.
“Just hours after the trauma, we don’t know exactly how this is going to set up,” Black said. “But the next couple of days we’ll know the extent of this. When he comes in tomorrow or the next day, then and we’ll test the strength and see how he’s feeling. The imaging after the game showed no structural damage.
“So we’ll see. But a groin strain, like a calf strain or a hamstring, they are all sort of dicey.”
Freeland was facing Aaron Altherr, his third batter of the game, and had thrown only 11 pitches (10 for strikes) when he abruptly stopped pitching. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy immediately went out to the mound, as did manager Bud Black, assistant trainer Scott Gehert and pitching coach Steve Foster. After throwing a pitch, it was quickly determined that Freeland could not continue and was replaced by Chris Rusin.
Black said Freeland first felt a pull in his groin when he bent down on the mound as Lucroy threw to second in a failed attempt to throw out Cesar Hernandez stealing second.
Freeland, who appeared to be in some pain, motioned to his left groin while he talked to Black and Gehert. Later, Freeland could be seen limping in the Rockies dugout.
Freeland, a Denver native and graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, is 11-7 with a 3.70 ERA. His 11 victories are the most among all major-league rookies this season. He’s evolving into a legitimate National League rookie-of-the-year candidate, but if the injury is severe, he could be out for an extended period.
Freeland made his major-league debut on April 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. He has pitched 121 ⅓ innings this season, and although the Rockies have scaled back his innings, he has become a staple of the rotation as Colorado attempts to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Colorado’s starting rotation has been in flux for much of the season and now Black likely will have to make more changes. Rookie right-hander Antonio Senzatela, who had not pitched above Double-A before this season, is being monitored closely. Lately, he’s been used in a relief role, but he could be in line to replace Freeland in the rotation as soon as Wednesday in Cleveland.
Veteran right-hander Tyler Chatwood appeared to be out of the rotation after giving up eight runs (seven earned) in a 10-5 loss to the Mets on Wednesday night, but he could be back in the mix.
Veteran right-hander Chad Bettis, who has not pitched in the majors this season as he comes back from treatments from testicular cancer, does not appear quite ready to join the Rockies. He made his fifth injury rehab start Thursday night for Triple-A Albuquerque, throwing 84 pitches in 5 ⅔ innings in a loss at Round Rock (Texas). Black said Friday that Bettis will make another rehab start before the Rockies consider activating him off the disabled list.
