SAN DIEGO -- The Rockies scratched right-hander Jeff Hoffman from his scheduled start Friday night for Triple-A Albuquerque, and his next outing could be in the Majors.
Rockies manager Bud Black acknowledged the scratching of Hoffman, who has won two spot-starts in the Majors, was not because of an injury, but he offered no further information on Hoffman's schedule. Black said Tyler Chatwood (4-7, 5.04 ERA) will pitch Saturday against the Padres at Petco Park as expected.
It opens the possibility that Hoffman could start Sunday's finale of the three-game series with the Padres. Currently, lefty Tyler Anderson (3-5, 5.85 ERA) is scheduled. However, Anderson has been pitching with a brace on his left knee for nearly a month.
In fact, when Hoffman made his first start -- when he held the Dodgers to three runs and six hits and fanned eight in 5 1/3 innings of a 10-7 victory at Coors Field on May 11 -- it was because Anderson's start had been pushed back because of the knee issue. Anderson pitched well for much of May but struggled with command in his last start, when he yielded six runs and 11 hits in five innings of a 10-4 loss to the Mariners on Tuesday night.
Hoffman rejoined the Rockies on May 22 and held the Phillies to one run and three hits in seven innings of an 8-1 victory. Hoffman is 2-0 with a 3.29 ERA in three appearances, which included a 1 1/3-inning relief stint in a May 9 doubleheader nightcap against the Cubs. He has 17 strikeouts against two walks and 10 hits in 13 2/3 Major League innings. He is 3-2 with a 3.68 ERA in eight Triple-A starts.
Worth noting:
• Righty reliever Adam Ottavino, who went to the 10-day disabled list Wednesday with right shoulder soreness, said he woke up feeling 100 percent Friday. He will begin playing catch Saturday. Feeling fine, he will work on the fundamental issues that led to inconsistency -- 15 hits and 15 walks in 21 innings.
Ottavino saw some improvement in five outings during a road trip to Minnesota, Cincinnati and Philadelphia (seven strikeouts, three hits, one walk) but went to the DL when lack of strength in his shoulder hampered his outing Tuesday against the Mariners.
"I made some adjustments going into that trip with my direction because I had been throwing a little too extreme across my body, and that paid off pretty well on the road trip," Ottavino said. "But then the inflammation was something that was building.
"Now, when I play catch, I'll play catch the right way -- take it seriously, so when I'm back in the games I'll have good habits."
• Catcher Tom Murphy, who suffered hairline fractures in his right forearm and wrist when hit by the bat of the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo while attempting to throw to second during Spring Training, has joined Albuquerque for a rehab assignment that will begin Saturday. Black said Murphy will catch six innings in his first game.
• Outfielder David Dahl, out since early in the Cactus League schedule with a stress reaction in his sixth rib, started taking batting practice more than a week ago. But he still feels discomfort and has been sent to the Rockies' complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., to continue strengthening. Black and the Rockies refused to characterize the issue as a setback. They never established a timeline, knowing the issue could be unpredictable.