DENVER -- Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, who came out of Friday's 4-3 win over the Phillies after throwing nine pitches, was placed on the 10-day disabled list Saturday due to a left groin strain. Freeland has a starting staff-low 3.70 ERA in 22 appearances (21 starts) for the Rockies.
Freeland gave up a single to Cesar Hernandez to open the game, then struck out Freddy Galvis. But on the strikeout, Hernandez was attempting to steal second base, and when Freeland squatted so catcher Jonathan Lucroy could make the throw, he felt the discomfort.
"When I bent down, I felt a pinch," Freeland said. "Then the next pitch, I felt fine. Then after that is when I felt it again, and I limped a couple times. When I first felt it, it felt like a needle in my thigh, and after that it was just like a pull."
Manager Bud Black felt with the type of injury Freeland has, he might not be able to take his next turn in the rotation, which would have been Wednesday in Cleveland.
"It's better than we expected as far as how he feels and his strength," Black said. "He had some imaging done, and everything looked pretty good. There's some trauma there, but the extent of it is less than what was originally thought [on Friday]."
The Rockies haven't announced a probable starter for Wednesday, but Black said the two candidates to make that start are Tyler Chatwood and Antonio Senzatela.
Chatwood gave up eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits, including two homers, in 5 1/3 innings against the Mets last Wednesday. Though he walked just one batter in that effort, Chatwood is tied with Wade Miley for the Major League lead in walks, with 63.
Senzatela opened the season in Colorado's starting rotation, but five of his last seven appearances have been out of the bullpen. Since the move to a relief role, Senzatela has posted a 4.74 ERA in 19 innings.
Along with placing Freeland on the disabled list, the Rockies on Saturday recalled relievers Carlos Estevez and Shane Carle from Triple-A Albuquerque, optioned reliever Scott Oberg to Triple-A and reinstated Chad Bettis from the DL and optioned him to Albuquerque.
Estevez has struggled in 18 appearances (16 2/3 innings) for the Rockies this season, posting an 8.10 ERA. In 27 1/3 innings for Albuquerque, he posted a 1.65 ERA.

Carle has made one Major League appearance, tossing a scoreless inning for the Rockies on April 14 in San Francisco. In 31 appearances (55 innings) for Albuquerque this season, he has posted a 6.05 ERA and given up 70 hits, including eight homers.
"These are pitching-based [decisions]," Black said. "Yesterday, with the bullpen, with Kyle exiting after one-third of an inning, we thought we needed some reinforcements with fresh arms."
Notable
First baseman/outfielder Ian Desmond, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on July 28 with a right calf strain, is "doing better," according to Black.
"He did some work out on the field today with the medical staff and the conditioning guys," Black said. "No timetable, though, for Desi. But he's starting to get back on the field, and he's in the cage."