The lefty reliever returned for only 3 appearances in 2024 after missing 2023
Welcome to the 2024 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2024. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
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No. 36, Lucas Gilbreath, -0.4 rWAR
It seems like a lifetime ago that Lucas Gilbreath made his 2021 debut as a 25-year-old lefty who wowed in the bullpen. He posted a 3.38 ERA in 47 appearances and it looked like the Rockies had done well with a Colorado native and seventh-round pick in 2017.
In 2022, he followed up with a successful sophomore campaign when he posted a 4.19 ERA in 47 appearances again. Gilbreath’s performance put him at No. 13 in our Ranking the Rockies series with a 0.6 rWAR. He was becoming a much-needed lefty in Colorado’s bullpen, especially in the first half of the season. Then his elbow started to hurt and his ERA started to go up.
He landed on the 15-day IL at the end of August with a left elbow flexor strain. Gilbreath stayed there for the rest of the season, electing for a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection in September. Along came Spring Training and Gilbreath’s arm still wasn’t right. He opted for Tommy John surgery, erasing his 2023 season. His social media posts explained the choice as Gilbreath used his platform to educate followers and talk about pitching.
Gilbreath started to rehab his elbow, but then the shoulder pain hit. It delayed his comeback, adding five more months of rehab that tested Gilbreath’s willpower and physical conditioning — especially when he was throwing in 115-degree heat in Arizona at the Rockies training facility in Scottsdale.
By mid-July, Gilbreath was sent to the ACL Rockies, Single-A Spokane and Triple-A Albuquerque on a rehab stint to pitch in his first games in nearly two years. Over three weeks, Gilbreath recorded an 8.00 ERA in nine innings over 10 appearances with 12 strikeouts and eight walks and gave up three homers.
While his numbers weren’t great, Gilbreath was feeling and looking good enough to get called up by the Rockies on Aug. 16.
His first action was no easy task, entering in the seventh inning against the Padres at Coors Field. He shined against two good hitters, inducing a fly ball from Luis Arraez and getting Jurickson to ground out. He walked Jake Cronenworth and Bud Black pulled him, but Tyler Kinely ended the threat and the Rockies went on to win 7-3.
The next two games didn’t go well. In Washington D.C. six days later, Gilbreath surrendered two doubles and two singles and hit a batter, giving up three runs without recording an out. On Aug. 25 against the Yankees, Gilbreath got a pop-out before giving up two singles and a homer to Gleyber Torres. He gave up six runs in 1/3 of an inning, which ended up being his final appearance of the season. With a 54.00 ERA in one total inning of work over three appearances, Gilbreath’s left shoulder was hurting and inflamed again. After a little over a month of action, Gilbreath was back on the IL.
A good teammate and an outgoing player and Legacy High School graduate who fans can connect with, Gilbreath’s presence has been missed by the Rockies. When he’s healthy, he’s incredibly effective. Hopefully, another offseason can give him time to rest and build up his arm so he can return to a team and a bullpen that sorely needs him.
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