Marquez (arm inflammation), Tapia (hand) to IL
DENVER -- German Márquez makes it five of an unfortunate kind.
The Rockies placed Marquez, the National League leader in innings pitched, at 174 (the Reds’ Trevor Bauer has 182 2/3, but much of those came when he was with the Indians), on the 10-day injured list with right arm inflammation on Monday. The move means that all five of Colorado's rotation members who started the season have visited the IL -- three of them, lefty Tyler Anderson (left knee chondral defect) and righties Jon Gray (left foot stress fracture) and Chad Bettis (right hip impingement), are out for the remainder of the season.
Marquez (12-5, 4.76 ERA), who was scheduled to start on Tuesday at home against the Red Sox and has been the Rockies’ best pitcher throughout 2019, joins lefty Kyle Freeland (left groin strain) on the shelf. Last year, when Colorado made its second straight postseason appearance, four rotation members made at least 31 starts, and the fifth made 27.
It could be said that the Rockies’ top six starters going into this season have spent time on the IL, as righty Antonio Senzatela missed the beginning of the season with an infected blister on his right heel.
In addition, Colorado placed outfielder Raimel Tapia (.290, eight HRs, 38 RBIs) on the 10-day IL with a left hand contusion, which he felt after his second at-bat in St. Louis on Friday.
To fill the roster for Monday’s makeup game against the Braves, the Rockies turned to Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled two relievers obtained this year from the Yankees -- lefty Phillip Diehl, who made two appearances earlier this year (18.00 ERA), and righty Joe Harvey, who was obtained in a Trade Deadline move and was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in nine appearances.
No replacement for Marquez on Tuesday was immediately announced.
Bettis positive about health, even if uncertain about his future
Bettis said that his rehab from bilateral hip surgery, to be performed in Denver on Tuesday by Dr. James Genuario, would normally mean a nine-month recovery in order to be ready to start. But because he has converted to relief, he believes he can come back sooner.
Bettis' future with the Rockies is uncertain, as he is headed into his final offseason of arbitration and he has not yet talked with the club, but his 2017 recovery from testicular cancer gives him plenty of perspective.
“It was a 'survive or be killed' kind of a thing,” Bettis said. “This is not that.”
Of the Rockies, he said, “Realistically, I get it. This is a business, and I understand that. That being said, I would like to stay here. I want to win here. We can do it. We have done it.”
Doherty added to AFL staff
Tim Doherty, in his second season as hitting coach at Albuquerque and in his fourth year in the Rockies organization, will represent the team on the Arizona Fall League's Salt River Rafters as that team's hitting coach. The Rafters will consist of prospects from the Rockies, Marlins, D-backs, Twins and Rays.