PITTSBURGH -- Rockies right-hander Chase Dollander left his start against the Pirates on Thursday afternoon after one inning and two batters of the second because of right arm tightness.
It was a rough start – Dollander allowed three runs, including a two-run Ryan O’Hearn homer. He yielded a second-inning leadoff double to Endy Rodríguez, and walked Jared Triolo before consulting with manager Warren Schaeffer and head athletic trainer Keith Dugger, throwing test pitches then leaving the contest. After his final pitch to Triolo, television cameras caught Dollander wiggling his right arm.
Dollander had a measurable drop in his fastball velocities on Thursday. A four-seam fastball that normally averages 98.9 mph averaged 97.6, and a sinker that normally averages 98.3 averaged 97.1.
The right-hander previously twisted his left ankle at the end of the third of his 5 2/3 innings in his last start, a Rockies 11-inning victory at Philadelphia on May 8. Dollander said all along he did not think the ankle would affect his next start.
Lefty Brennan Bernardino replaced Dollander, and there was no further scoring in the second.
The severity of the injury and how it affects the roster and rotation will reveal itself when the extent of the injury is known. Dollander, 3-2 with a 3.89 ERA in ten appearances that include three starts and six other “bulk” performances, is considered a future rotation leader, so the team is expected to be careful with him.
It could be a rotation opportunity for righty Tanner Gordon, who was pitching in long relief before being optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday. After some difficult travel arrangements, he did his throwing program on Wednesday and then was summoned back to Pittsburgh because Rockies righty reliever Jimmy Herget was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right shoulder impingement.
Gordon was sent down to extend his pitch count in hopes of him returning to being part of the Rockies’ starter depth.