It’s been a tough go for the Colorado Rockies early on this season as the franchise is still in a rebuild. However, it sounds like the club could get a nice boost as Kris Bryant and Nolan Jones receive an injury update.
Reports indicate that both Bryant and Jones could return to the Rockies lineup at some point in May, according to MLB.com. Kris Bryant could be back by May 17 while Nolan Jones could return in late May.
“After two days of batting practice — showing greater power in his May 11 session than the previous day — and doing sprints from first to third, Bryant is expected to join Triple-A Albuquerque for an injury rehab assignment starting May 14. Black said the plan is for Bryant to join the Rockies in San Francisco starting May 17.”
“Jones is a little behind 1B Kris Bryant, who is expected to begin an injury rehab assignment on May 14 and could return on May 17. Jones will go to Triple-A Albuquerque with Bryant to continue working his way toward an injury rehab assignment.”
Considering the Rockies are in dead last in the National League West they could use all the help they can get. Having Kris Bryant and Nolan Jones return from injury could be enough to get Colorado back on track to win some games. Additionally, it’s nice to see both veterans nearing a return soon.
With that said, hopefully, both Bryant and Jones improve at the plate as they were ice cold before falling to injury. Bryant currently holds a .149 batting average, six RBIs, and just one home run. Meanwhile, Jones has only recorded a .170 batting average, seven RBIs, and one home run.
Can Rockies bounce back in the 2024 season?
The Rockies are currently 15 games behind the first-place LA Dodgers in the NL West. Although there are a ton of games remaining in the regular season that’s a big lead for Colorado to come back from. It’s not impossible but it’s definitely an uphill battle. The return of Kris Bryant and Nolan Jones should help but it might not be enough for this team to become competitive.
When it comes down to it the Rockies look like they’re still a few years away from contending for a playoff spot. They have some solid young talent in the farm system but the franchise could certainly use more. So, it’ll be interesting to see what the front office decides to do once the trade deadline approaches. We could see Colorado shopping veteran players for young talent. Or, if they go on a hot streak, they could make moves to improve the Major League roster.
Either way, the Rockies could be a team to watch at the trade deadline. But expectations of this team catching fire should be tempered. Instead, Colorado is more likely to finish at the bottom of the rankings, which will fetch them a much-needed early pick in the MLB Draft.
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