Kris Bryant leaves with injury as Rockies fall for 10th time in 11 games

In the last eight games, Kris Bryant has shown why the Rockies lavished him with a $182-million contract. So, in the club’s Murphy’s Law opening month, what happened Saturday was predictable.

The Rockies pulled Bryant due to an injury initially announced as lower-back tightness. Elehuris Montero pinch-hit for Bryant, who was working as the designated hitter.

After the game — which ended in a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia — manager Bud Black said Bryant was “day-to-day,” and in fact did not have a recurrence of back trouble.

“He had some good swings, but his swing was compromised a little bit,” Black said during his post-game media briefing. “When he put his foot down and landed, there was a little bit of pain in his SI joint and his glute.”

Bud Black gives @MILEHIMARC an update about Kris Bryant's injury. pic.twitter.com/oxGhYIyzoc

— AT&T SportsNet™ | RM (@ATTSportsNetRM) April 22, 2023

The SI joint — also known as the sacroiliac joint — connects two bones in the pelvis. Pain from an issue with the joint typically extends to the lower back and the pelvis.

“There was a little bit of a sharp pain there. Nothing really to do with the back,” Black said.

“We think it’s just a day-to-day thing. We need it to calm down.”

Given that Bryant missed 120 games last season due to back issues — which were apparently exacerbated by what Brendan Rodgers referred to as “jail beds” in the Rockies’ team hotel during their 2022 Philly trip — anything involving the back is cause for alarm.

Bryant entered Saturday in good power-hitting form. He had three home runs in the previous eight games, including his first two at Coors Field as a member of the team. But he’s also 1-for-10 in the Phillies series.

Meanwhile, the Rockies fell for the 10th time in 11 games and 16th in their last 20. At 6-16, their record through 22 games is the worst in club history. They also have the worst record in the National League and their lowest average attendance through 10 home games in 16 years.

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