Rockies Notebook: Middle Infield Shortage, Injury and Youth Movement Updates

DENVER, Colo. –– The Colorado Rockies weren’t expected to contend for a postseason spot in 2025. Not even the most dedicated of fans had them finishing higher than last in the National League West.

However, no one could have imagined they would challenge for the Modern Era (since 1901) record of 121 losses set by the 2024 Chicago White Sox.

With a seven-game losing streak and a 4-25 (.138) record following Monday’s 6-3 loss to Atlanta, Colorado is pacing for 139 losses. You’d have to go all the way back to the 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134) — who traded away their best players to the owners’ other team, the St. Louis Browns — to find a club with a worse winning percentage (.130).

Much of the cause for this exceptional downturn has comes down to three factors so far: lack of middle infield depth, injuries and the typical struggles of young players when they reach the Majors.

Middle Infield Depth

GM Bill Schmidt put an emphasis on improving the depth of the bench during the offseason.

While that’s not a typical priority for most teams coming off consecutive 100-loss campaigns, Colorado isn’t a typical baseball organization.

The Rockies signed IF Kyle Farmer and 2B Thairo Estrada as the fresh faces of their free agent acquisitions. The addition of Farmer was to allow off days to Estrada, SS Ezequiel Tovar and 3B Ryan McMahon in order to keep the trio fresh throughout the 162-game slog.

2B/OF Tyler Freeman was added via trade days before the start of the season and IF Aaron Schunk was further security for the club at Triple-A.

Unfortunately, Estrada suffered a right wrist fracture a week before Opening Day and Tovar has missed the last 11 games with a left hip contusion.

“What’s a bummer is the Estrada-Tovar combination that we saw up until March 20 in spring training is like, really good. I mean, really good. I was super pumped for that,” manager Bud Black said.

“That hasn’t played out, obviously, but hopefully in time that will show up here because Thairo is a good defender. Under the radar.”

To make matters worse, Freeman (left oblique strain) and Schunk (left groin strain) have also missed time. It’s what prompted Schmidt to re-acquire IF Alan Trejo from the Texas Rangers for cash considerations on Saturday.

A situation of unfamiliarity has created in the wake of the injuries for the entire middle infield with one another. The scenario has caused several unforced errors, unusual for a Rockies’ club that prides itself on defending. Communication, according to Black, is critical during this period.

“It takes conversations amongst the two guys who are on the field. There’s talk before the game when we talk about their lineup. There’s a series of meetings that we’ll have today to talk about the Braves and (Warren) Schaeffer does a really good job of leading those conversations. So it’s all about talking to each other.”

Injury Updates

Black discussed the health of several Rockies before Monday’s contest, though nothing was overly positive in terms of getting back any of the eight players currently on the injured list. Tops on the list is Tovar, who is on the injured list for the first time in the Majors during his fourth big league campaign.

“He’s getting better. Still not progressing as we hoped,” Black said. “We had hoped that after 10 days he’d be back in the lineup. That’s not the case. This is a tricky one that only the player knows.”

Kris Bryant visited Cedars-Sinai Marina Spine Center over the weekend to undergo a re-examination with Dr. Robert Watkins. According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, the follow-up scans will help determine the next step for Bryant. Surgery could end up being an option for Colorado’s $182 million investment.

Estrada has been taking grounders with infield and third base coach Warren Schaeffer. The 29-year-old has been swinging a bat lightly as he approaches more intense baseball activities. 

On the pitching side, Austin Gomber is nearing his first time throwing a baseball since getting a PRP injection following a rehab start for a left shoulder soreness on March 28. Gomber, now on the 60-day IL, still does not have a timetable for his return. 

Victor Vodnik (right shoulder inflammation) is feeling improved and could make a rehab start before returning to the Rockies bullpen.

The Foibles of Youth

Colorado has been touting its talent in the minors for the last few years. After the 2024 trade deadline, they began to embrace an approach of Let The Kids Play. That strategy has continued in 2025 in various ways. 

A total of five players have already made their Major League debut season and 10 different rookies have suited up in purple. From that group, only RHP Seth Halvorsen has not spent at least one night at Triple-A in Albuquerque. 

“You think you might know what it’s like, but until you get here, you don’t,” Black said of rude awakening for most baseball prospects. “And then you realize that it’s a little bit different than what you thought. So I think that’s the overlying takeaway from a lot of young players: when you think you got it you might not.”

RHP Juan Mejia who came up for one day as the 27th-man for a doubleheader on Thursday to make his debut, immediately went back down following the game. Four days later, he was promoted to take the place of spot-starter RHP Bradley Blalock. Others have had opportunities while failing to make the most of it.

OF Zac Veen slashed .118/.189/.235 with a 37.8% strikeout percentage during his first stint in the Majors before being optioned. LHP Luis Peralta was sent down after walking eight in 8.1 innings, leading to a 7.56 ERA over his nine appearance.

2B Adael Amador and RHP Jaden Hill both began the season in the minors after some up-and-down performances during their first exposure to the big leagues in 2024.

Currently, OF Yanquiel Fernández is the only member of the 40-man roster to not make their debut for the Rockies. Looking further down the line, three others in Triple-A need to be added to the 40-man roster this winter or else be exposed in the Rule 5 Draft. All three have the potential to debut in 2025: IF Ryan Ritter, IF/OF Sterlin Thompson and LHP Carson Palmquist. 

Coupled with organizational stalwarts like LHP Ryan Rolison, IF Julio Carreras and 3B Warming Bernabel with the Isotopes, there’s reason to believe Colorado will have many more big league debuts as they attempt to determine who’s worth keeping for the long haul.