Rockies get encouraging news on LeMahieu
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SAN FRANCISCO -- Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu hopes to begin swinging and catching in about a week, after tests revealed that he has a small fracture and sprain in his left thumb. The ulnar collateral ligament is not damaged, and therefore surgery is not needed.
LeMahieu injured his thumb while swinging during Sunday's 7-3 home loss to the Brewers and was placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday. He was seen by multiple doctors, including noted Scottsdale, Ariz., hand specialist Dr. Donald Sheridan. With the injury nowhere near as damaging as feared, LeMahieu's main task the next few days is to undergo treatment to reduce swelling.
While there is no clear timetable for LeMahieu's return, it's not the same injury as sustained by D-backs center fielder A.J. Pollock, who is expected to miss 4-8 weeks with a fractured left thumb. The troublesome UCL is on the inside of the thumb, but LeMahieu's injury is on the outer part of the thumb and included a piece of bone that broke off, the volar radial metacarpal head.
"Once the swelling goes down, and that should be in the next week, I should be good to go, see how it feels -- but overall pretty good news," LeMahieu said, with his hand wrapped and using a bone stimulator. "I was worried, I think a lot of people were worried it was going to be a lot worse."
Manager Bud Black said doctors are "overall optimistic about the injury … at this point, but we won't know until he starts doing some activity."
LeMahieu was hitting .279 wih five home runs and 13 RBIs, a .350 on-base percentage and a .457 slugging percentage.
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Daniel Castro, who started Thursday night against the Giants, and Pat Valaika are filling in at the position. Ryan McMahon, the Rockies' No. 2 prospect and No. 38 in the Majors, according to MLB Pipeline, has played mostly first base this year, but he played at second on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Another option emerged Thursday, when the Rockies advanced Garrett Hampson, their No. 8 prospect, from Double-A Hartford (.304/.391/.466) to Albuquerque -- and started him as a second baseman and leadoff hitter.