Key Loss: Kris Bryant Heads To IL

It’s been a rough few years for Kris Bryant and his back. It was announced Monday that the Colorado Rockies outfielder was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to April 13) with a lower back injury. It’s a huge blow to an already struggling Rockies team that is fighting to avoid being the worst team in baseball. 

What Does This Mean For Bryant

Bryant is only 33 years old, and he should be taking advantage of his prime years to recreate what he did in his early years with the Chicago Cubs. These back problems have been seemingly constant in recent memory. Since he signed a seven-year, $182 million contract in 2022, he’s hit the IL nine times. Most notably, two different stints last season with a back strain.

Bryant has had a cold start to the season, with a .154/.195/.205 slash line with no home runs. That is not the Bryant we all know and love. The Rockies are sorely missing his bat, especially now that he’s sidelined.

Since he joined Colorado, Bryant hasn’t played in more than 80 games in a season. When he has been on the field, his power numbers have fallen flat, posting a .695 OPS with the Rockies, compared to a .886 OPS with the Cubs. 

What Are the Rockies Going To Do?

The only bright spots in the lineup are Kyle Farmer and Brenton Doyle, but Doyle has some quad soreness and is day-to-day. If he went down for some significant time, it would spell doom for the Rockies. Everyone else on the team has been lackluster except for pitcher Ryan Feltner. 

Through three starts, he has a nice 2.89 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, but not enough run support, leaving him with three no-decisions. What’s most surprising about that line is where he has pitched: Tampa Bay, at the New York Yankees minor league facility, and home in Colorado. 

The Rockies are currently sitting dead last in arguably the toughest and most electric division in the National League West. They are 3-12 and 5.5 games out of 4th place, 9.5 games from first. Even if they suddenly turned it around, there’s little hope that they can make up that much ground. Their season is almost over as soon as it started, which is a shame.