Nolan Arenado to DL
It has been a rough start to this Saturday for the Colorado Rockies, who have learned some bad news about one of their up and coming stars.
Nolan Arenado has been placed on the 15-day DL with a mallet fracture to his left middle finger, according to the Rockies’ PR Twitter feed. Arenado had left Friday night’s game once the Rockies had discovered the fracture in his left middle finger.
MLB.com’s Joe Morgan provided more details via his Twitter feed:
Nolan Arenado: “When I slid into the bag, I kind of knew I broke it. I knew right away. It didn’t feel good.” #Rockies
Arenado on his injury: “Mentally, it hurts. … This is a big road trip, and I really wanted to be a big part of it.” #Rockies
The Rockies have recalled Josh Rutledge from Triple A, despite Rutledge primarily being a shortstop and second baseman.
This is a big blow to the Rockies, who currently possess the most potent offense in the MLB, having scored 259 runs and posting a team .297/.344/.484 slash line and an .829 team OPS, all of which are MLB leads. Arenado gained media attention earlier this year for a 28 game hitting streak that lasted from April 9 to May 10. The 23-year-old third baseman had compiled a .305/.333/.489 slash through 49 games.
The Rockies should not be decimated by the injury, as Charlie Blackmon, Justin Morneau, and Troy Tulowitzki continue to put up outstanding seasons for the Rockies. Arenado’s injury is definitely a blow to the Rockies however, with Arenado being the youngest piece to an explosive Colorado offense that looks to dominate baseball’s hitting for the foreseeable future.
There is currently no timetable for Arenado’s return, which is even more bad news for Colorado, as outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is once again, not in the lineup for Saturday’s game with a swollen left index finger. This is the third consecutive start Gonzalez has missed, despite him avoiding placement on the DL.
This is the first large period of adversity the Rockies have to face, and their response to this situation may be a prelude to their performance following the trade deadline.