Kyle Freeland’s return is set as key lefty comes back from injury
Jun 20, 2024, 12:09 PM | Updated: 12:12 pm
The Colorado Rockies will get a big boost this weekend when left-handed starter Kyle Freeland returns from injury.
The 31-year-old has been out since April 14, dealing with an elbow strain in his throwing arm. He pinch ran a day later when he suffered a nasty collision that the team says is unrelated to the injury that has kept him out two months but it is suspicious he hasn’t played since. Freeland has made three rehab appearances this month, coming for the Rockies rookie ball team and Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. He threw 10 innings to a 2.70 ERA, granted it’s the minor leagues but those are much better than the numbers he had in the bigs during his first four starts this year. Freeland rejoins the rotation on Sunday with an 0-3 record and 13.21 ERA.
Freeland’s return on Sunday is the final game of the Rockies longest homestand of the season and it comes against the red-hot Nationals, who currently hold an NL Wildcard spot.
Kyle Freeland throws 67 pitches over four innings of work (2 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 4 K) with Triple-A Albuquerque.
The club will reassess to determine if he’ll need another rehab start before returning to the Rockies.
🎥: @blakestbanter pic.twitter.com/zRKt7aabYp— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) June 19, 2024
The start was supposed to be Austin Gomber’s so we’ll see if that means the lefty, who is having an awful month will be pushed out of the rotation. Gomber went from at least six strong in all four of his starts in May picking up one win with a 0.68 ERA in May to a June with a 9.68 ERA over four starts and 17.2 innings. The Rockies could also bump Gomber back two days with the off day Monday and be pulling Ryan Feltner from the rotation with his 7.59 ERA in June.
Kyle Freeland’s injury was the least serious but he’s the first of three Rockies pitchers who could all be again on big league mounds in the coming weeks. Both German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela are recovering from Tommy John Surgery with the first arm being a bit ahead of the second.
Freeland has struggled the last two years but when the eighth-year Rockie is healthy and performing, he’s been one of the better and more reliable arms in franchise history.