Rockies injuries and roster moves
This page will be updated throughout the offseason to track all of the Rockies' moves, along with the progress of any injured players.
LATEST NEWS
Nov. 22: Non-tendered 2B Brendan Rodgers and RHP Cal Quantrill; tendered contracts to LHP Austin Gomber, RHP Ryan Feltner, LHP Lucas Gilbreath, RHP Justin Lawrence, RHP Jimmy Herget, OF Sam Hilliard
Rodgers and Quantrill were expected to earn in the neighborhood of a combined $13 million in arbitration. Rodgers, the third overall pick in the 2015 Draft, was plagued by injury throughout his six seasons with the Rockies, over which he produced a .726 OPS with 45 home runs and a Gold Glove Award at second base in 2022. Quantrill, who was acquired in a trade with the Guardians prior to the 2024 season, posted a 4.98 ERA over 29 starts for Colorado.
A source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand that the Rockies reached a one-year, $1 million deal with Hilliard and a one-year, $785,000 deal with Gilbreath to avoid arbitration. The remaining tendered players have until Jan. 9 to exchange arbitration figures with the club or agree on a contract value to avoid arbitration.
Nov. 20: C Jacob Stallings signed to 1-year deal with mutual option for 2026
Stallings returns after setting full-season career highs in batting (.263), OBP (.357), slugging (.453), OPS (.810) and home runs (nine) in his first year with the Rockies. More >
Nov. 19: OF Zac Veen added to the 40-man roster
Veen, who turns 23 on Dec. 12, was added to the Major League roster ahead of the deadline to protect eligible players from the Rule 5 Draft. Veen, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Rockies’ No. 3 prospect and No. 83 overall, has battled injury the past two seasons -- a torn ligament in his left hand in 2023 and a ruptured tendon flexor in his right thumb in 2024. But the snippets of playing time outside of rehab stints in 2024 were intriguing -- .268 batting average, .816 OPS and five home runs in 36 games at Double-A Hartford; .220 with six homers in 21 games at Triple-A Albuquerque. Read more >>>
Nov. 8: RHP Jimmy Herget claimed off waivers from the Cubs
Herget, 31, made eight appearances for the Braves in 2024, posting an 0-1 record with a 4.38 ERA. He also had 30 Minor League appearances in the Angels', Braves' and Cubs' organizations, with 15 of those outings coming with the Braves’ Triple-A Gwinnett (0-1 record with a 3.06 ERA). The Cubs designated Herget for assignment last week.
With 129 big league appearances over six seasons with the Reds (2019), Rangers (2020-21), Angels (2021-23) and Braves (2024), Herget will rely on his experience while competing for a job in a talented but mostly young bullpen. His key attribute is staying in the strike zone -- with 141 strikeouts against 47 walks in 155 total innings. But his history includes high homer totals -- 1.0 home runs per nine innings.
Herget is eligible for arbitration and out of Minor League options. If he wins a job in Spring Training, his presence could allow development time for younger relievers. With the additions of Herget and right-handed pitcher Germán Márquez, who was re-added when the 60-day injured list expired after the season, the Rockies’ Major League roster has 38 players -- two below the limit.
INJURY UPDATES
OF Kris Bryant (back strain)
Expected return: 2025
Bryant, limited to 159 games in his first three seasons of a seven-year, $182 million contract, is on a back program that has input from the player, the club’s athletic training and physical performance staffs, his agents and representatives, and physical therapists in Denver and Las Vegas (where he lives in the offseason).
Bryant, whose injury travails have taught him a new appreciation for health and just being available to his team, said that in younger days he did the heavy weightlifting that was thought to be necessary. Now he’s on a safer program.
“It’s more the smaller muscles, and I’ll work on those efficiencies in the offseason,” said Bryant, who said he has been on his current program for about four weeks. “Deadlifting 400 pounds really isn’t going to help your back. So I guess I am a workout fiend, only more with the smaller muscles that help stabilize your back. (Last updated: Sept. 25)
RHP Tyler Kinley (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: 2025
Kinley, 33, finished an up-and-down year 6-1 with a 6.19 ERA and 12 saves in 67 appearances. Kinley underwent right flexor tendon surgery in 2022 and it wasn’t until midseason this year that he felt he regained his best form. However, increasing discomfort in the arm has led to inconsistent results. In his last nine games, he was scored upon just twice -- but those games led to a 9.95 ERA over that period.
“It’s his arm -- it’s everything, it’s elbow,” manager Bud Black said. “He’s been in discomfort for a few weeks and he’s battled through it, to his credit. But it got to the point where we felt and he felt it was compromising his performance.”
Kinley is signed through next season, with a $3 million salary for 2025 and a club option for '26 valued at $5 million or a $750,000 buyout. (Last updated: Sept. 20)
LHP Lucas Gilbreath (left shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: Likely 2025
Gilbreath, who completed a long recovery from Tommy John surgery only to go back to the IL on Aug. 26 with left shoulder inflammation, said the problem is in the entire shoulder and is still somewhat a mystery.
“The issue we keep running into is as we increase intensity, it can’t handle it so that’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Gilbreath said on Sept. 16. “How do we get to a point where I can do what I need to do, which is consistently throw in games and not have any issues.”
Gilbreath is throwing off the “rebounder” in the training room. The idea is for a delivery that doesn’t stress his body. He has found himself dropping his arm slot to the point that “there’s no way to drive the ball the way that I pitch.” (Last updated: Sept. 16)
RHP Germán Márquez (right elbow stress reaction)
Expected return: 2025
Márquez returned from Tommy John surgery and made one start before being placed on the IL again on July 22 (retroactive to July 19). On Aug. 8, he was shut down for the rest of the season with a stress reaction in the olecranon area of his right elbow. Márquez was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 23. (Last updated: Aug. 23)