Rockies road to 100 losses becomes clearer as another key player gets hurt
Apr 10, 2023, 11:39 PM
Germán Márquez made Rockies history on Monday, recording his 65th career win which ranks him third on Colorado’s all-time list but sadly the rocket-throwing righty left the game early due to a forearm injury.
Márquez left the 7-4 Rockies win over the Cardinals in the sixth inning. Catcher Elías Díaz told his Venezuelan battery mate to stop pitching after he initially felt some tightness in the fourth inning.
“He started moving his arm and I saw his face and I thought there is something wrong here,” Diaz said. “I came to the mound and asked him how he was feeling. He said, ‘I feel a little tight.’”
Márquez was making his third start of the season and has a 4.41 ERA through 16.1 innings pitched with a 2-1 record.
“We hope he’s going to be fine. We think he is,” Bud Black said postgame. “We are going to reevaluate him tomorrow. We’ll see how he is tomorrow and the next day.”
Márquez suffered a similar injury in Aug. 2019, when he was shut down for the final six weeks of play. He didn’t need surgery but said that past injury was more pain whereas this is tight but he did compare the two.
“I hope I will be all right, just tightness,” Márquez said, adding that he’s not worried about the injury.
The former All-Star is in his eighth big league season all coming in Colorado.
Márquez exited the game with 979 career strikeouts, six away from matching Jorge De La Rosa for the most in Rockies history.
Any time missed by their best pitcher could significantly derail the Rockies who are very thin at the position. Last season was the lone time in Márquez career where he performed below league average. Still, he may have been the difference between 94 losses and more. Currently, the Rockies are projected to lose 97 games and given Márquez has been about a 3 fWAR (wins above replacement) pitcher per season in his eight years, losing him could spell the first 100-loss season in team history.
The Rockies are already without important pitchers closer Daniel Bard, who is progressing through anxiety, and Antonio Senzatela, who is working back from a torn ACL.
On an individual level, Márquez is in a contract year with a club option for 2024.
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