Chase Dollander, the Rockies’ prized right-hander, counted on to be the lynchpin of the rotation, was pulled from Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh in the second inning with right arm tightness.
After the Rockies’ 7-2 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park, Dollander was asked how concerned he is about the injury.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure,” “I don’t want to say too much before anything else happens. Not to freak myself out or anybody else out.”
As of Thursday afternoon, Dollander was not scheduled for an MRI.
Dollander entered Thursday’s game with an average fastball of 98.7 mph, ranking as the second-fastest among qualified pitchers. However, his fastball was down a couple of ticks in the second inning. Asked if Dollander’s arm tightness had anything to do with the slight dip in velocity, manager Warren Schaffer answered, “Maybe.”
“Just general arm tightness is what we’re going to roll with right now,” he told reporters after the game. “We’ll do some evaluations and check back tomorrow.”
Dollander, tagged for three runs in the first inning — including giving up a two-run homer to center field to Ryan O’Hearn — pitched to just two batters in the second. He gave up a leadoff double to Endy Rodríguez, followed by a walk to Jared Triolo on five pitches. Dollander was shaking his right arm and hand during the inning.
After the walk to Triolo, head trainer Keith Dugger and Schaeffer met Dollander on the mound. After about a 2-minute conversation, Dollander threw a practice pitch before leaving the game.
In nine appearances (three starts), the 24-year-old Dollander has a 3.89 ERA. After a rough rookie season in 2025, he’s made strides this season. He is beginning to look like the projected No. 1 starter Colorado envisioned when the Rockies selected him in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2023 draft out of the University of Tennessee.
Colorado, which finished its road trip with a 2-4 record, was never in Thursday’s game. The Pirates scored three runs in the third off lefty reliever Brennan Bernardino and right-hander Victor Vodnik.
The Rockies’ only runs came in the fourth on a double byTroy Johnston that scored TJ Rumfield and Willi Castro. Johnston is hitting .326 with an .852 OPS.
Colorado, three games into a 16-game stretch with no days off, returns home on Friday to open a three-game series against the Diamondbacks at Coors Field.
Pitching probables
Friday: Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (2-3, 7.72 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-4, 6.00), 6:40 p.m.
Saturday: Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-0, 2.25) at Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (3-3, 4.07), 1:10 p.m.
Sunday: Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (5-2, 3.53) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-5, 6.55), 1:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
