Rockies Lose Freeland to Shoulder Inflammation Right When They Need Him Most

Kyle Freeland's early season is on pause. The Colorado Rockies left-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, a move that retroactively started Monday. The timing stings because Freeland had been one of the few bright spots in the Rockies rotation so far.

What Went Wrong

Freeland was scratched from his previous scheduled start because of soreness in the shoulder, and the team decided the smart play was to shut him down rather than risk making it worse. At 32 years old, with his birthday coming next month, the last thing he needs is to compound an early-season injury by trying to push through.

Before hitting the IL, Freeland was 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA through three starts this season. Those numbers? That's solid work in April. That's the kind of consistency Colorado needed from its starting rotation to stay competitive early on.

The Replacement Plan

To fill the roster spot, the Rockies brought back left-hander Jose Quintana from the injured list. Quintana had been sidelined with a hamstring injury and has made just one start this season, so he's basically getting thrown back into the fire immediately. He was scheduled to take the mound Wednesday night against the Houston Astros.

It's not an ideal situation when you're trying to build momentum in April. Losing a pitcher who was performing and replacing him with someone trying to shake off rust is never the trade you want to make. But that's baseball sometimes, and the Rockies will have to make it work.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.