Rockies outfielder Randal Grichuk tells Thomas Harding of MLB.com that he underwent surgery for a bilateral sports hernia a week ago. Grichuk said that he could be ready to return to game action in about six weeks in a best-case scenario. Since Opening Day is roughly six weeks away, it’s possible he could be ready by then, but it seems that missing some time will now be a distinct possibility.
“It was one of those things that was not going to get better, and it was a matter of when was it going to get worse,” Grichuk said. “I’d much rather miss Spring Training, get back late spring and miss only a little bit of [regular-season] time than try to play through the grind of trying to play every day, 100% effort, then let it flare in April and miss two or three months of the season.”
Grichuk, 31, came over to the Rockies a year ago in a trade that sent Raimel Tapia to the Blue Jays. He’s long been a big power threat in the box but often undercuts the value of that power with a lack of walks and low on-base percentages. His first year in Colorado followed that pattern, as he hit 19 home runs but walked in just 4.5% of his plate appearances, barely half of the 8.2% league average. He finished the season with a .259/.299/.425 batting line and a wRC+ of 88, indicating he was 12% below league average.
Grichuk primarily played right field for Colorado last year but also saw significant time in center. He and Yonathan Daza seemed poised to be the most likely candidates for center field work this year. If Grichuk has to miss any time, that could leave Daza as the primary option in the middle, with Kris Bryant in left and Charlie Blackmon in right, though both of those players will likely see some time as the designated hitter as well. Younger players like Sean Bouchard, Nolan Jones or Michael Toglia could factor into the mix as well, or perhaps non-roster invitee Harold Castro. The club’s top prospect is outfielder Zac Veen, and he could reach the big leagues at some point this year. But he’s only played 34 Double-A games thus far and struggled mightily in those, suggesting he still needs more time on the farm.
It doesn’t seem like Grichuk is expecting to miss much or any of the regular season, but it’s one more challenge for a club that won 68 games last year and had a very quiet offseason.
Jurickson Profar you are a rockie
A $4 MM, 1 year deal wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Can Profar play CF? Not that I’m aware.
Maybe they should pick up JBJ who should come pretty cheap.
Profar is pretty much limited to LF at this point (maybe First Base). JBJ makes much more sense here
called it lol
So the jays are still paying part of Randals ticket this year and one of their remaining needs is a right handed OF that can play all 3 positions…..irony.
Grichuk wasnt reliable in the jays lineup. Varsho + kier is superior to teo /grichuk.
I like Grichuk more than most do. He could definitely be more patient though.
Asked to comment on how Grichuk missing games would affect the Rockies’ internal projection of a 95-win season, Dick Monfort expressed confidence.
“Brad from accounti- er, I mean our analytics department, assures me we have the depth to withstand injuries. In fact – and we run numbers all the time – injuries could mean we win more than 95 games. 97, maybe even 99. Trust me, we run a lot of numbers.”
When pressed to explain that prediction, Monfort began speaking in pig latin, hopped on a motorcycle, and immediately drove into a lake. “Numbers!” he shouted as he slowly sunk into the darkness.
Can you turn this into a movie, too? Maybe call it “Rockie”.
This definitely drops them to 80-82 from 81-81…
I suppose if I’m a Rockies fan, I’m wondering why this surgery had to wait until early February.
Do you want to have surgery on your expensive 3 month long Island vacation?
Wouldn’t you do it during your companies planned trainings? Then get paid while you play catch up.
Perhaps but it probably wasn’t the smartest move for a guy who’s a league average 30-year old outfielder who will spend 2023 playing for his next contract.
Assume best intentions. It’s pretty rare that a pro will want to throw off his spring training routine.
Some info:
A player can easily not know he has a sports hernia. It can feel like it’s another nagging injury (like groin) that won’t go away. I’d assume after rehab, he felt that it was getting better/stronger, but something still wasn’t right. That’s probably when his trainers/someone else sent him to a specialist who then diagnosed him.
For 2023 Rockies pay KB 28 million, RG over ten million plus NA.
RG will be back by May or sooner he can earn more money based on plate appearances.
I predict the Rockies will regress toward the mean and win 72 games in 2023.
I liked him, but he is a knucklehead waiting until a week before things start to get the surgery. He should have done it early December at the latest.
I said this above…
Assume best intentions. It’s pretty rare that a pro will want to throw off his spring training routine.
Some info:
A player can easily not know he has a sports hernia. It can feel like it’s another nagging injury (like groin) that won’t go away. I’d assume after rehab, he felt that it was getting better/stronger, but something still wasn’t right. That’s probably when his trainers/someone else sent him to a specialist who then diagnosed him.