Five Rockies pitchers set to undergo Tommy John surgery
Mired in their fifth straight losing season and sitting with the National League's worst record, news out of Colorado was not positive on Monday—at least if you're a pitcher. A whopping five hurlers will be scheduled for surgery in the coming week, all undergoing Tommy John.
Four of the five are minor leaguers, one yet to even make his pro debut, but it is still a concerning trend for the Rockies.
Colorado has had a rough time keeping their pitchers healthy this year across the entire organization. The MLB club, in particular, has been hit hard by injuries. They had already lost two key starters, Ryan Feltner and German Marquez, who combined to throw just 35 innings this year. Feltner is out with a head injury while Marquez also underwent Tommy John surgery in early May.
Antonio Senzatela last pitched in early May and surgery appeared to be a foregone conclusion at the time. It's unclear why the team waited until now to schedule the procedure. The two-month delay will impact Senzatela's recovery timeline which already puts a return in 2024 in question.
Gabriel Hughes, Coloardo's first-round pick last year, managed to work 37.1 IP with High-A Spokane before hitting the injured list.
Jackson Cox had thrown 31 innings for Class-A Fresno this year before being shut down. Jordy Vargas pitched just 64, also with Fresno.
Chase Dollander, the 9th overall selection in the 2023 draft, is perhaps the biggest surprise inclusion. Leading the Tennessee Volunteers' pitching staff, Dollander was one of the best collegiate arms in this year's draft class and someone the Rockies likely hoped would work his way through the minor leagues quickly. Dollander pitched 89 innings for the Vols this year and there were no reports of an injury concern around the draft, so whatever concern the Rockies discovered must have been found post-draft.
Senzatela, Hughes, Cox, Vargas and Dollander will all likely miss most, if not all, of the 2024 season while recovering.
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