Colorado Rockies: Trevor Story potentially out with UCL damage

The Colorado Rockies are fighting for a playoff spot, and now they may have lost their starting shortstop.

The Colorado Rockies are fighting for their playoff lives right now. At the moment, the Rockies are 1/2 game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, and they’re also 1/2 game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second Wild Card. Now they may have to face this battle without their starting shortstop.

Trevor Story is having an incredible 2018 for the Rockies. After having a big rookie season, where he hit 27 home runs over 97 games before injury ended his season, Story was in the midst of an incredible year, hitting .288/.343/.550 with 40 doubles, 33 home runs, and 26 stolen bases. He’s already eclipsed 102 RBI on the season, and while it would mean a huge surge, he has a chance at 100 runs.

In the 4th inning of Monday’s game in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, the team the Rockies are fighting for the NL West division title, Story suffered an injury on a play and left the game. The potential news, as reported by Ken Rosenthal, looks grim:

An injury to his UCL would almost certainly mean Tommy John surgery, which would end Story’s 2018 season. Story has been a legitimate NL MVP candidate this season, so his loss would be monumental for the Colorado Rockies.

How would the Colorado Rockies replace Story?

Fortunately for the Rockies, two of their best prospects happen to be middle infielders in the upper minors that could step into the shortstop position, but that would mean that the Colorado Rockies would be trusting their postseason lives to Garrett Hampson or bring up top prospect Brendan Rodgers, in spite of Rodgers posting just a .554 OPS in AAA over 72 plate appearances.

What about 2019?

If Story has surgery, he could be fine to hit in 2019, but he would not be able to throw until at least midseason. Many may remember the “Pujols plan”, when Albert Pujols had Tommy John surgery and the team worked to “cover up” his inability to throw. This could mean Story would play first base, but who would play shortstop?

Certainly, Hampson/Rodgers would be a possibility, and the Rockies could pursue someone in free agency, but a passable shortstop with a decent bat is not going to be cheap, so this could impact the structure of the 2019 Colorado Rockies for sure!

This has not yet been confirmed, and we at Call to the Pen will be quick to report as soon as a confirmation comes from the Colorado Rockies, but it’s hard to imagine a bigger injury at this point of the season!