Colorado Rockies news and links for Thursday, April 17th, 2025
Rough, man.
I’ll be honest, I was excited at first. I mean, you can go back and listen to the emergency podcast Skyler and I did the night that we found out former MVP Kris Bryant was going to become the new lynchpin of the Colorado Rockies lineup for years to come. Sure, we agreed it was probably an overpay at the time, but still – the thought of bringing on legitimate championship pedigree to a Rockies club that could desperately use some, and having an offensive focal point that was surely good for 30 home runs a season got me seeing stars in my eyes.
What can I say? I’m an optimist.
No amount of positive vibes can salvage the following four seasons, though. Bryant has spent as much time off the field as on it, dealing with a myriad of injuries from back issues to plantar fasciitis to a broken finger. When he has played, he’s been ineffective, as evidenced by his combined -1.5 bWAR throughout his Rockies tenure. And now, yet again, the former All-Star third baseman finds himself on the Injured List, hoping to take the steps necessary to return to health and contribute to the lineup.
Except… that may not be an option this time.
See, Bryant’s most recent ailment has been revealed to be lumbar degenerative disc disease – a somewhat intense diagnosis for an active MLB player. A quick glance at the Cleveland Clinic website tells us that “almost everyone has some disk degeneration after age 40, even if they don’t develop symptoms. It can lead to back pain in about 5% of adults.”
Well, hey, if everyone gets it, then it’s not so… wait… 40?
Yeah, it seems KB’s back issues may be more serious than we realized. Maybe that’s to be expected, since he’s had so many back-related Injured List stints recently, but this is a scary turn of events for a 33-year-old player under contract for three more seasons. With health concerns such as these, is it even reasonable to expect him back at all?
I mean, Bryant recently reached the ten-year service time mark, a notable achievement for any player and just the most recent in his list of accomplishments. With the wealth of benefits that he’ll receive for doing so, maybe it’s time for KB to consider calling it a career.
To be clear, I have absolutely nothing against Kris. I truly think he wants to play, is a great clubhouse presence, and is probably just as frustrated about his Rockies stint as fans have been. My conversations with him have been nothing but pleasant and it’s clear that he believes in the young, up-and-coming stars that he calls teammates.
Still, I believe that his long-term health and quality of life to be crucial, and I fear that attempting to continue his baseball career could impact that. Of course, I’m not a doctor, and don’t claim to have any kind of legitimate medical knowledge, but I know that back pain is the worst, and I’d hate for Bryant to have to deal with that after trying to reignite a flame that may well be out.
Baseball players are gritty, though, and KB is unlikely to make the call to step away from the game. Is it therefore up to the Rockies themselves to, in a way, protect Bryant from himself and cut ties now? After all, they’re no closer to contending and should be more focused on finding a cure for their offensive woes than trying to ingratiate veterans into everyday playing time.
Of course, that’s a lot of money on the books, and the Rockies probably don’t love the thought of taking the L on yet another massive free agent contract. Unfortunately for them, it seems that ship has already sailed, and the best thing the front office, Bryant, and the fans can do is to just move on from it. Colorado’s higher-ups would do right to simply thank the once-imposing slugger for his service and call it done there.
It may sound callous, but it genuinely comes from a place of concern. Obviously I want the Rockies to improve – designated hitting duties should be going to Hunter Goodman or another similar young bopper for the foreseeable future – but I also want Kris Bryant to leave the game with his back health intact and without more complications arising.
This is sort of a depressing article, and I feel bad about that because I typically like to focus on the good side of things where I can. This is one of those situations, though, where things just didn’t – and likely aren’t going to – work out. It’s not Bryant’s fault, and to a degree, it’s not the fault of Bill Schmidt and the front office either. His contract just hasn’t gone the way we had hoped, and that’s okay.
But now it’s time to call it done. In all, Kris Bryant has had an amazing career, and he has nothing left to prove. The Rockies aren’t in desperate need of his services at this time, and so it really is mutually beneficial for both parties to respectfully end their relationship. Will this happen? Probably not, especially with the team’s seeming assumption that it will be a short IL stint, but for everyone’s sake, I hope we can end this story sooner than later.
I don’t want to write about Kris Bryant’s injuries and ineffectiveness anymore. I’d rather reminisce fondly about his highlights and career peaks – you know, the fun stuff.
Thank you for your hard work, Kris. You’ve done enough.
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On the Farm
Triple-A: El Paso Chihuahuas 9, Albuquerque Isotopes 6
Albuquerque out-hit the visiting puppies, but El Paso’s six extra-base hits were enough to lift them to victory in a high-scoring contest on Wednesday night.
The Chihuahuas scored in four of the game’s first seven innings, holding a 9-3 lead into the game’s final frames. The Topes made a late run, scoring three runs in the eighth by way of RBI knocks from Owen Miller (who was 4-for-4 on the night) and Sterlin Thompson, plus a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Yanquiel Fernández, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
Carson Palmquist, Dugan Darnell, and Lucas Gilbreath all got tagged for runs in the loss, while Juan Mejia’s two scoreless frames kept the Isotopes within striking distance.
Double-A: Portland Sea Dogs 7, Hartford Yard Goats 5
It took extra innings to decide the contest between the Sea Dogs and Yard Goats, and it was the visiting Portland squad that eventually broke out in the tenth frame to claim victory.
The Yard Goats took an early advantage when, in the bottom of the first, Cole Carrigg singled and stole second and third base. He was joined on the basepaths by Kyle Karros via a walk, and both would trot home on Bryant Betancourt’s first home run of the year. Hartford’s offense largely stalled after that outburst, though, and they were only able to muster two additional runs (a Betancourt RBI groundout and Carrigg score-via-balk) before the game’s end.
After the Sea Dogs jumped on Collin Baumgartner for three runs in the top of the tenth, the Goats did manage to bring the tying run to the plate. Portland managed to record key strikeouts, though, and dashed Hartford’s hopes of a comeback win.
High-A: Spokane Indians 8, Hillsboro Hops 2
The Indians took care of business against the Hops, cruising to an easy dub after a big six-run sixth inning.
Aidan Longwell’s three-hit, two-RBI performance led the way, while Cole Messina’s home run and two walks didn’t hurt. Longwell’s now hitting a cool .333 on the young season.
Pitching-wise, Michael Prosecky had a productive start as he allowed one run in five innings. He walked three and struck out just two, but allowed only three hits, so you’ll take that any day.
Single-A: Fresno Grizzlies 9, Lake Elsinore Storm 4
The Grizzlies and Storm were tied in the middle of the eighth inning, but a five-run bottom of the frame sealed the deal for Fresno. The first seven Grizzlies hitters reached base in that inning, and that’s usually enough to yield positive results.
Kevin Hidalgo, Roynier Hernandez, Kevin Fitzer, and Tommy Hopfe all recorded two RBIs in the winning effort. Ismael Luciano turned in five solid innings of starter work (five walks notwithstanding), and Austin Becker, Fidel Ulloa, and Brady Hill recorded scoreless outings.
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On the internet
Here’s a potential impact callup for each organization | MLB.com
Prospects over everything, am I right? Read about which young star could be in the conversation for an MLB debut this season. Hint: he’s a PuRP.
Step Inside Rockies’ Pitcher Austin Gomber’s Offseason Home | 5280 Magazine
Are you a baseball fan, but also appreciate the finer points of interior design? Have I got a story for you! Take a look at what makes Rockies hurler Austin Gomber’s home so nice and cozy, and what it’s like to design a home that’s only going to be used for part of the year.
Rockies Mailbag: As losses mount, will Bud Black or Bill Schmidt be fired? | Denver Post ($$)
I mean… the title kinda says it all, doesn’t it? Read Patrick Saunders’ thoughts on the matter.
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