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Reds Place Sam Moll On 15-Day Injured List

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The Reds placed left-hander Sam Moll on the 15-day injured list today, and called up righty Casey Legumina from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.  Moll is dealing with a left shoulder impingement, and it is “not likely” that he’ll return before the season is over, as the southpaw told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Moll has been trying to pitch through the injury for a few weeks, and the issue might even date back to last season, when Moll said he was also trying to pitch through some shoulder discomfort in order to contribute to a contending Reds team.  Coming into this season, Moll began the year on the 15-day injured list and didn’t make his season debut until April 23.

“I obviously don’t want it to snowball to what it did last offseason, where it screwed up my offseason as far as preparation and leading into obviously what I dealt with earlier this year,” Moll said.  It isn’t yet known if Moll will just need to rest his shoulder, or if some kind of procedure could be needed to address the problem.

Despite the lack of a proper ramp-up in the spring, Moll still delivered some quality innings out of Cincinnati’s bullpen.  If this is indeed it for his 2024 campaign, he’ll finish the season with a 3.35 ERA, 25% strikeout rate, 9.2% walk rate, and 46.9% grounder rate over 37 2/3 innings and 48 appearances.  Moll isn’t a particularly hard thrower, but his sinker and sweeper are plus pitches that induce a lot of soft contact.  Left-handed batters have only a .430 OPS in 63 plate appearances against Moll this year, and he has also been effective against righty swingers to the tune of a .719 OPS in 89 PA.

This solid 2024 season comes on the heels of the 0.73 ERA Moll posted in the 24 2/3 innings he pitched for the Reds in 2023 after Cincinnati acquired him from the A’s at the trade deadline.  A veteran of five MLB seasons, Moll will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter as he enters his age-33 season.  If no injury-related complications interfere with the Reds’ decision to tender Moll a contract, he’ll be in line for a nice raise to get him out of the minimum-salary range.

Rays Place Jeffrey Springs On 15-Day Injured List

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The Rays announced this morning that they’ve placed left-hander Jeffrey Springs on the 15-day injured list due to what the club described as left elbow fatigue. Left-hander Tyler Alexander was recalled to the big league roster in a corresponding move.

Springs, 32 later this month, underwent Tommy John surgery in April of 2023 and returned to the mound in the majors for the first time on the day of the trade deadline back in July earlier this year. It was unfortunate timing for the Rays, as Springs went under the knife just three starts into a four-year extension the club inked him to prior to the 2023 season on the heels of a 2022 campaign where he posted a 2.35 ERA and 3.04 FIP in 135 1/3 innings of work split between the rotation and bullpen. Springs has made seven starts since returning from the IL earlier this year and, while he hasn’t quite reached that level of dominance, he’s certainly held his own with a 3.27 ERA and a 4.00 FIP to go with a strong 26.1% strikeout rate.

It’s not yet clear whether or not today’s trip to the IL spells the end of Springs’s 2024 season. For his part, Springs told reporters (including those at MLB.com) today that his hope is to make two more starts this season and that his elbow was just “a little more sore than normal,” which manager Kevin Cash suggested was probably fatigue that should be expected coming off surgery.  Still, given the fact that he’s suffering from an issue regarding his elbow just over a month after returning from Tommy John surgery, it would hardly be a shock if the Rays simply decided to play it safe with him for the remainder of the season. After all, the 70-72 Rays sold somewhat aggressively at the trade deadline as they fell out of playoff contention and pivoted towards prioritizing next season and beyond. Even after dealing away key pieces such as third baseman Isaac Paredes and outfielder Randy Arozarena back in July, the Rays appear to be in pretty good shape to contend in 2025.

A big reason for that optimism is the expected return of several key pitchers to full-time rotation duties next year. Ace lefty Shane McClanahan underwent Tommy John surgery just over a year ago and resumed throwing in late July, putting him on track to be part of the club’s Opening Day rotation next year. Right-hander Drew Rasmussen, who returned last month from an internal brace procedure on his elbow in a bullpen role, also figures to be considered for a return to a rotation role next year. Springs, too, figures to be part of that conversation, leaving the Rays deep in rotation options as that trio joins Shane Baz, Ryan Pepiot, Taj Bradley, and Zack Littell in contention for starting jobs headed into 2025.

That deep group of rotation options led the Rays to deal both Aaron Civale and Zach Eflin from their rotation mix this summer, and it’s at least feasible that the club could look to deal another piece such as Littell from their rotation mix over the winter in order to help address an offense that has under-performed with a collective wRC+ of just 96 this year. Whether the Rays look to deal from their deep well of pitching talent in order to restock the lineup or simply hope that a full season from top prospect Junior Caminero and stronger performances from players like Christopher Morel, Josh Lowe, Dylan Carlson, and Jose Siri can boost the club’s offense internally, Springs figures to factor prominently into the club’s rotation plans next year, and putting him in the best position to be healthy and effective headed into next year is sure to be Tampa’s priority as the season winds down.

Taking Springs’s spot on the roster is Alexander, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tigers before joining the Rays this year. In his first season with Tampa, the lefty has swung between the bullpen and the rotation with lackluster results, posting a 5.66 ERA and 5.52 FIP in 89 frames. With that being said, his peripherals have been much better in the bullpen than as a starter, as he’s struck out a respectable 21.1% of opponents while pitching in relief against a walk rate of just 4.7%. Alexander is tentatively expected to pitch bulk innings for the club tomorrow night in a start that was previously slated to go to Springs.

Guardians Designate Scott Barlow For Assignment

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The Guardians have designated right-hander Scott Barlow for assignment, according to MLB.com’s Transactions Tracker. Taking his spot on the 40-man and active rosters will be left-hander Anthony Gose, whose contract was selected according to Gose’s MLB.com Player Page.

Barlow, 31, was acquired by the Guardians in a trade with the Padres last November that sent right-hander Enyel De Los Santos to San Diego. A longtime Royals relief arm who emerged as the club’s top leverage arm during the 2021 season, Barlow pitched to an excellent 2.30 ERA and 3.13 FIP in 148 2/3 innings between 2021 and ’22 while striking out 28.2% of batters faced and racking up 40 saves.

Unfortunately, he took a step back in 2023 with a somewhat uneven season. While his numbers under the hood during his time with the Royals last year, including a 26.7% strikeout rate and a 4.04 SIERA, offered plenty of reason for optimism, he struggled in terms of preventing runs and ultimately surrendered a 5.35 ERA in 38 2/3 innings of work before being shipped to the Padres at the trade deadline. Once in uniform with San Diego, Barlow pitched much better down the stretch with a 3.07 ERA and 3.15 FIP in his final 29 1/3 innings last year. That seemed to leave Barlow poised to occupy a key role with the Padres in the late innings this year, but he was ultimately shipped to the Guardians as part of an effort to slash the club’s payroll and duck under the luxury tax for 2024.

That allowed the Guardians step in and take the opportunity to add Barlow to their already excellent bullpen, where he was poised to act as one of the top setup men for closer Emmanuel Clase. For much of the season, the right-hander performed that role admirably with a 3.12 ERA and 3.50 FIP in 43 1/3 innings of work through the end of July. Things took a sharp turn for the worse once the calendar flipped to August, however, and Barlow was shelled to the tune of an 8.49 ERA in 11 2/3 innings of work. The right-hander has seemed lost on the mound for over a month now, with a 17.9% strikeout rate against a 10.7% walk rate to go along with three hit batters and two home runs over his last 13 appearances. As the Guardians look to fend off the Royals and Twins in the AL Central and earn a bye through the Wild Card Series this October, the club evidently felt they couldn’t afford to continue giving the righty opportunities to get right.

Barlow’s departure makes way for Gose, 34, on the big league roster. Once a top-100 prospect as a hitter with the Phillies, he struggled through five seasons in the majors with a below average .240/.309/.348 slash line in 372 career games and eventually decided to try converting to pitching. He resurfaced in the big leagues as a reliever in Cleveland back in 2021, impressing with a six-appearance cup of coffee that saw him strike out 37.5% of opponents and post a 1.35 ERA. Gose sported a respectable 3.90 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 27 2/3 innings of work as pitcher for his career when he underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2022, and he spent the entire 2023 season rehabbing.

Now back in action with the Guardians, Gose surrendered three runs in 3 1/3 innings of work during a brief cup of coffee earlier this year but has posted a solid 3.27 ERA in 41 1/3 frames at the Triple-A level. He’ll get another opportunity with the big league club down the stretch as he looks to establish himself as a viable relief option for the 2025 campaign, whether that’s with Cleveland or elsewhere.

Dodgers Select Nick Ramirez

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The Dodgers announced this afternoon that they’ve selected the contract of left-hander Nick Ramirez. Lefty Justin Wrobleski was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move, and right-hander Michael Petersen was designated for assignment to make room for Ramirez on the 40-man roster.

Ramirez, 35, was acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with the Yankees back in April after the southpaw failed to make the Opening Day roster in the Bronx. A fourth-round pick by the Brewers back in 2011, Ramirez didn’t make his big league debut until 2019 as a member of the Tigers. He posted middling results in relief across three seasons with Detroit and San Diego from 2019-21, with a 4.55 ERA (101 ERA+) and 4.60 FIP in 110 2/3 innings of work while striking out 20.4% of opponents.

The lefty signed with the Mariners on a minor league deal headed into the 2022 season and posted impressive results at the Triple-A level, with a 2.93 ERA and a 23.7% strikeout rate in 55 1/3 frames, but was unable to crack the club’s big league roster. That led him to sign with the Yankees on a fresh minors pact for the 2023 season, and he enjoyed the best season of his career in the Bronx as he posted a fantastic 2.66 ERA and 2.94 FIP in 40 2/3 frames after being selected to the Cubs roster in late April, after which point he was shuttled between the majors and minors on a semi-frequent basis.

Unfortunately, Ramirez has not been able to replicate that same success with the Dodgers. He’s pitched 11 1/3 innings in the majors this year but has struggled to a 6.35 ERA with a 4.33 FIP and just four strikeouts. That lackluster production has carried over to his performance at Triple-A Oklahoma City, for whom he’s pitched to a 4.65 ERA in 31 innings of work this year with a lackluster 19.2% strikeout rate. The Dodgers are surely hoping he can improve upon that performance in his latest stint with the club, though he’s buried on the relief depth chart by both Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda in terms of left-handed options, likely leaving him to be used in exclusively low-leverage situations while with the club.

Ramirez takes the spot of Petersen on the 40-man roster. The righty got his first taste of big league action back in June when he was selected to the roster in the aftermath of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s placement on the injured list due to a rotator cuff strain. The right-hander has served as an up-and-down bullpen arm for the Dodgers in the months since then, though his results have left much to be desired. In 14 innings of work across 11 appearances, Petersen has struggled to a 6.43 ERA with a 6.32 FIP in the majors, though he’s been nothing short of dominant at Triple-A with a sparkling 1.64 ERA and a 35.2% strikeout rate in 33 frames. If Petersen goes unclaimed on waivers, the Dodgers will have the opportunity to outright the right-hander to Triple-A where he can act as non-roster depth for the club down the stretch.

Athletics Select Brandon Bielak

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The A’s announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Brandon Bielak. Lefty Brady Basso was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Bielak on the club’s active roster, and the 40-man roster now stands at 40.

Bielak, 28, was an 11th-round pick by the Astros in the 2017 draft and pitched for Houston at the big league level in each of the past five seasons. He served as a solid back-of-the-rotation arm and swing man from 2021-23, with a combined 4.05 ERA (104 ERA+) and 4.78 FIP in 48 games (15 starts) during those years. The righty began to struggle with the club in the majors this year, however, and in ten appearances as a multi-inning reliever surrendered a 5.71 ERA while walking (8.4%) nearly as many batters as he struck out (10.8%).

Those struggles were enough for the Astros to decide to cut bait on the right-hander, and he was swapped to the A’s in a cash deal back in May as a result. The right-hander made just three appearances with his new club at the big league level but posted improved results over those 5 2/3 innings of work, surrendering two runs and walking just one while striking out three. Still, the A’s designated him for assignment just over a week after acquiring him, though unlike Houston they managed to sneak him through waivers and outright him to the minor leagues.

Since then, Bielak has struggled with Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, with a 6.08 ERA in 66 2/3 innings of work across 16 appearances (13 starts). Those results are rather lackluster, even after accounting for the Pacific Coast League’s inflated offensive environment. Bielak will now get another opportunity at the big league level with the A’s despite those shaky numbers, likely acting as a long relief option alongside veteran Ross Stripling for the club’s bullpen down the stretch.

Making room for Bielak on the club’s active roster is Basso. The 26-year-old lefty made his big league debut back in May and has been an up-and-down option for the A’s throughout the year with solid results. He made his first career start in the big leagues last night to impressive results, throwing six scoreless innings against the Tigers where he allowed just three hits and walked one while racking up six strikeouts. Overall, Basso has a 1.93 ERA and 2.97 FIP in 9 1/3 innings of work in the majors to go with a 4.55 ERA in 93 innings of work at the minor league level this year. The lefty hasn’t received substantial playing time in the majors so far but could factor into the club’s pitching staff more prominently as soon as next year.

Pirates Select Billy Cook; Place Henry Davis On 10-Day Injured List

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The Pirates announced today that they’ve selected the contract of outfielder Billy Cook. In a corresponding move, catcher Henry Davis was placed on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his left hand. The club’s 40-man roster now stands at 39. Additionally, the club announced that right-hander Domingo German has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A.

Cook, 25, was a tenth-round pick by the Orioles in the 2021 draft. Cook was a relatively fast riser with the Orioles and made it to Triple-A earlier this year. The outfielder performed admirably with a .279/.372/.485 slash line in 304 trips to the plate with the club’s affiliate in Norfolk. Cook was dealt to the Pirates in a swap on the day of the trade deadline, with Pittsburgh sending minor league right-hander Patrick Reilly to Baltimore in exchange for Cook’s services. Since joining the Pirates organization, Cook has picked up right where he left off at Triple-A Indianapolis with a .276/.389/.486 slash line in 30 games.

That’s clearly enough for the club’s brass to decide the youngster ought to be given a shot in Pittsburgh. Oneil Cruz’s recent move to center field leaves the Pirates with regular starters at each outfield position for the moment, as Cruz is flanked by Bryan Reynolds and Bryan De La Cruz in the outfield corners while Connor Joe and Michael A. Taylor both also mix in on a fairly regular basis. It’s an open question, then, whether Cook will be able to find much playing time on the club’s roster as things stand. That being said, however, Cook also has experience at both first and second base that could allow him to find more playing time. He could mix in alongside Joe and Rowdy Tellez at first base while also offering Nick Gonzales an occasional day off at the keystone.

Making room for Cook on the active roster is Davis, the first overall pick from the 2021 draft. The top prospect made his big league debut last year but has struggled to establish himself in the big leagues to this point in his career with a .191/.283/.307 slash line in 99 games across the past two seasons where he’s split time between the outfield and catcher. Now, he’s headed to the injured list for the second time this year, following up a stint on the concussion IL back in June.

This time, Davis is dealing with hand inflammation, though the severity of the issue is not yet clear. With the end of the regular season just three weeks away and the Pirates all but eliminated from playoff contention, a stint on the shelf that extends beyond the minimum ten days could spell the end of his season even if the issue isn’t especially serious. With Davis out of action, the club figures to rely on a tandem of Joey Bart and Yasmani Grandal behind the plate in the season’s final weeks.

As for German, the right-hander signed with the Pirates on a minor league deal earlier this year and made seven appearances for the club, two of which were starts. Those outings did not go especially well, however, as German was lit up for 19 runs (18 earned) in just 20 2/3 innings of work. In all, he’s posted a 7.84 ERA, 6.13 FIP, and 18% strikeout rate during his time with the big league Pirates this year. Now back in Triple-A, German figures to serve as non-roster depth for the club’s pitching staff for the remainder of the season before likely trying his luck in minor league free agency this winter.

Brewers Select Isaac Collins

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The Brewers announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Isaac Collins. In corresponding moves, outfielder Brewer Hicklen was optioned to Triple-A and outfielder Christian Yelich was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Collins, 27, was a ninth-round pick by the Rockies back in 2019 and has yet to make his major league debut. The Brewers plucked him from Colorado in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft, and he’s spent the past two seasons in the upper levels of Milwaukee’s minor league system. He’s performed well in his first full season at Triple-A this year, with a .273/.386/.475 slash line in 500 trips to the plate. He’s supplemented that solid production at the plate with impressive baserunning (24 steals in 29 attempts) and the versatility to play second base, third base, and all over the outfield.

He’ll now get the opportunity to prove himself at the big league level with the Brewers as the regular season winds down. Milwaukee has little to worry about in terms of making the playoffs, as their ten-game lead over the Cubs and Cardinals is all but insurmountable at this point, though the club still does have something to play for as they’re three games back of both the Phillies and Dodgers for a bye through the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Even so, the Brewers’ cushion in the NL Central race and September’s expanded 28-man rosters provides the club with an opportunity to get potential future contributors exposure at the big league level while also shoring up their overall depth.

Making way for Collins on the club’s roster is Hicklen. The 28-year-old outfielder had a brief cup of coffee with the Royals in the majors back in 2022 but his time with the Brewers this year has been his second foray into major league action. Hicklen’s .247/.364/.484 slash line at the Triple-A level isn’t too dissimilar from that of Collins, and his slightly less valuable offense is more or less outweighed by a fantastic 42-for-47 record on the basepaths this year at Triple-A. That said, replacing Hicklen on the roster with Collins offers the Brewers the opportunity to roster a hitter with a similar skillset who can back up the infield alongside Andruw Monasterio as well as filling in around the outfield when necessary.

As for Yelich, his placement on the 60-day IL is hardly a surprise given the fact that his season came to an end when he underwent back surgery last month. The 32-year-old enjoyed his best offensive season in years when healthy enough to take the field this year, slashing .315/.406/.504 in 73 games while stealing 21 bases in 22 attempts. He’s currently expected to be ready to return to the middle of the club’s lineup in time for the 2025 season.

Rockies Designate Ty Blach For Assignment

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The Rockies announced this morning that they’ve activated right-hander Victor Vodnik from the 15-day injured list. In a corresponding move, left-hander Ty Blach was designated for assignment. Colorado’s 40-man roster now stands at 39 players.

Blach, 33, now wraps up his second stint on the big league roster with the Rockies this season. He’s generally performed poorly in 71 1/3 innings of work with the club this year with a 6.94 ERA and 6.28 FIP in 20 appearances, 12 of which were starts. A fifth-round pick by the Giants back in 2012, Blach found some success as a decent swing man with San Francisco early in his career. Over his first three seasons in the big leagues from 2016 to 2018, Blach pitched to a 4.36 ERA (93 ERA+) with a 4.14 FIP in 299 1/3 innings of work spread across 85 appearances and 39 starts. Overall, Blach posted a 4.56 ERA and 4.23 FIP in a Giants uniform but suffered through five disastrous starts with the Orioles after being shipped to the club in 2019. Those wound up being the last appearances he’d make at the big league level until he resurfaced with the Rockies back in 2022.

When the lefty signed a minor league deal with the Rockies back in 2022, that kicked off a string of what has now become three seasons where the veteran journeyman has bounced between Triple-A and the majors for the club. While he generally hasn’t pitched well for the Rockies, with a career 6.13 ERA (78 ERA+) and 5.46 FIP that are below average even for a hurler who calls Coors Field home, he’s served as a veteran depth option that has allowed the Rockies to avoid rushing young, promising pitchers to the big leagues amid the club’s number of rotation injuries in recent years. Going forward, Blach will have the opportunity to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency should he clear waivers.

Blach’s departure from the active roster makes room for the return of Vodnik. The 24-year-old hurler made his big league debut in Colorado last year as he struggled through a six-game cup of coffee, but quickly entered the club’s late inning mix this year. In 64 2/3 innings of work this year, Vodnik has impressed with a respectable 4.04 ERA (115 ERA+) and 3.91 FIP while collecting nine saves. Though Vodnik sports a strikeout rate of just 20.2% this year, he’s generated grounders at an impressive 52.9% clip that’s left him with a 4.19 SIERA, third-best among all Rockies pitchers with at least 40 innings of work this year. The hard-throwing right-hander was sidelined late last month by a bout of biceps inflammation but now that he’s returned, he figures to slot back into the club’s late inning mix alongside closer Tyler Kinley.

Jeff McNeil To Miss Rest Of Regular Season Due To Wrist Fracture

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September 8: The Mets officially placed McNeil on the injured list this morning, and recalled outfielder DJ Stewart to replace McNeil on the big league roster. Stewart has slashed .175/.326/.299 in 190 trips to the plate with the club this year.

September 7: Mets second baseman/outfielder Jeff McNeil had to leave Friday’s game after being hit by a pitch on his right wrist, and tests revealed a wrist fracture, as manager Carlos Mendoza told the New York Post’s Joel Sherman and other reporters today.  McNeil will be sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks, so he’ll miss the rest of the regular season and potentially the playoffs unless the Mets reach the postseason and make a deep run.

McNeil will be placed on the 15-day injured list at some point today or tomorrow, though the official news of the injury came close enough to the Mets’ 3:10pm CT start time today that Mendoza said the team will play a man short against the Reds.  Jose Iglesias figures to take over second base for the remainder of the season, and Mendoza said infield prospect Luisangel Acuna is one of the candidates to be called up to take McNeil’s spot on the active roster.

New York is right in the thick of the wild card race, sitting in a tie with Atlanta for the third and final NL wild card slot but also within three games of San Diego for the first wild position.  Passing any of the Braves, Padres, or Diamondbacks will be a lot trickier for the Mets without a lineup regular like McNeil, who has gotten the bulk of time at second base this season while also playing at both corner outfield slots.

McNeil will finish his 2024 season with a .238/.308/.384 slash line and 12 home runs over 472 plate appearances, translating to a 98 wRC+ that matches his seesaw of a year.  Hitting just .214/.271/.308 over his first 300 PA, McNeil’s bat finally caught fire in July, and he proceeded to hit .294/.368/.566 in his next 163 PA before cooling off again in September.  McNeil has remained one of baseball’s toughest hitters to strike out, though not much his contact has resulted in hard-hit balls, and a .256 BABIP also hasn’t helped his cause.

It is possible McNeil’s numbers could be related to the partial UCL tear in his left elbow that was revealed near the end of last season, though McNeil only received a PRP shot rather than surgery and was able to be part of the Mets’ Opening Day lineup.  Or, it could be that a traditionally soft-contact hitter like McNeil is reliant on batted-ball luck to be especially productive at the plate, and it isn’t any surprise that his best seasons have involved BABIPs all north of the .330 mark.  When McNeil isn’t finding holes in the field, he has been closer to a league-average bat, as evidenced the 99 wRC+ he has posted since the start of the 2023 season.

This downturn followed the signing of McNeil’s four-year, $50MM contract extension, so the Mets haven’t gotten what they were expecting following McNeil’s All-Star season in 2022.  However, as a left-handed hitter who can play multiple positions, McNeil has still been a useful player to have as a regular part of the lineup, and his absence forces New York to fill a couple of holes.  Iglesias has been excellent in part-time duty this season and now faces an extra challenge in an everyday role, while Tyrone Taylor and Jesse Winker figure to get more outfield time.

Kris Bryant “Questionable” To Return From Injured List This Year

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Rockies outfielder Kris Bryant has spent most of the 2024 season on the injured list, and his latest trip to the shelf due to a strained back began early last month. Manager Bud Black provided an update to reporters (including Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post) regarding Bryant’s status prior to the club’s game against the Brewers yesterday, and it seems to be possible that Bryant won’t return from the IL before the end of the year.

Black indicated that Bryant’s back, which is plagued by chronic disc problems and severe arthritis at this point in his career, is doing “better” and that the 32-year-old is “feeling good” at this point, but there’s been no indication that Bryant has resumed baseball activities at this point. With just three weeks remaining in the regular season and the 53-90 Rockies eliminated from playoff contention, it’s not clear if Bryant will be able to return this season. Black’s comments on the matter backed up that assessment as he described Bryant’s status as “questionable,” referencing the term used in the injury reports of other sports leagues like the NFL, while acknowledging that the club is “running out of time” to get Bryant back onto the field.

If Bryant doesn’t return to the field this season, he’ll finish the year with just 37 games played and a lackluster .218/.323/.301 slash line in 155 trips to the plate this year. The former superstar once seemed to be on a Hall of Fame track when he won NL Rookie of the Year in his debut 2015 season before following it up with the 2016 NL MVP award, but after slashing .278/.376/.504 (134 wRC+) in the first seven years of his career with the Cubs and Giants his career has taken a nosedive due to injuries ever since he signed a seven-year, $182MM deal with the Rockies prior to the 2022 campaign. He’s only been able to play 159 games in the three seasons since he first donned the purple and black, with a disappointing .250/.332/.381 (88 wRC+) line during that time.

According to Saunders, it’s unclear whether there would be regular playing time available to Bryant down the stretch this year even if he were to make it back from the injured list. Michael Toglia has locked down first base in Bryant’s absence after hitting a scorching .255/.368/.516 with ten home runs in his last 47 games, and Nolan Jones won’t be vacating left field to make room for Bryant either as the 26-year-old searches for the form that earned him a fourth-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting last year amid a down season.

It’s possible he could find playing time between right field and DH if he returns, but with 14-year Rockies veteran Charlie Blackmon in the midst of what could be the 38-year-old DH’s final season in Colorado and top 100 prospect Jordan Beck trying to establish himself as an option for the club in right field headed into 2025, it’s not difficult to imagine a scenario where Bryant struggles to find playing time even if he were to return to the field before the 2024 campaign comes to a close. That said, there have been starts in the outfield corners afforded to bench players like Jake Cave and Sam Hilliard in recent weeks that Bryant could theoretically take on if he were to return to the roster in the coming weeks.

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