DENVER – Rockies rookie closer Seth Halvorsen is almost out of the woods and, he’s close to certain, headed toward rehab for what’s being termed a mild right flexor strain.
Halvorsen said Monday – after consulting with Rockies head physician Dr. Thomas J. Noonan and the Rockies’ medical and training staffs – that an MRI, an ultrasound and a CT scan showed the muscle injury. But there was no damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow.
Halvorsen, 25, had Tommy John surgery – a transfer of ligament to the UCL – as a freshman at the University of Missouri in 2019, and two such surgeries in the same arm equal a threatened career.
“There were some encouraging comments for sure,” Halvorsen said after Monday night’s 15-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Coors Field. “I’m still waiting on the official word on what the next steps are, and maybe an opinion or two. But I’m hopeful that it can be the non-surgical route and just go rehab, and see where I can get by the end of the season.”
Halvorsen, who is 11-for-14 on save chances this season, left Saturday’s victory over the Pirates in the ninth inning with the injury. Halvorsen said that while there was fear, the feeling was different from his elbow injury in college.
“That was a little bit more gradual,” Halvorsen said. “There was pain for a while that I was going through, then eventually I said something. Then I tried the rehab process for a while, then that ended up not working. It was different circumstances, just because of the pain that I was going through for a while. I wasn’t really throwing with pain here [with the current injury] for a long time.”
Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer expressed relief that the injury is not more extensive.
“It’s a mild flexor strain, which is a good report from an MRI,” Schaeffer said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean surgery. He could potentially pitch again this year with such an injury, which is positive news.”
With Halvorsen out, Schaeffer said Victor Vodnik (2-for-6 on save chances), who pitched in closing situations when Halvorsen was not available, will be the primary closer, with rookie Juan Mejia (tied for the club lead with seven holds) closing when Vodnik isn’t available.
Before the injury, Halvorsen, who transferred from Missouri to Tennessee and was a fourth-round pick in 2023, blossomed in the ninth-inning role as one of the Majors’ hardest-throwing relievers.
“His demeanor is exceptional for that role in my ‘pen,” Schaeffer said. “He’s the same guy every day, wants the ball, throws 103, the physical aspect with a nasty split and a good slider. He’s got big league closer stuff, he’s got big league closer demeanor. He doesn’t get shaken, he has a slow heartbeat. He learns from his mistakes. I can go on and on about Seth.”
Opposing clubs attempted to acquire Halvorsen at last week’s Trade Deadline, but general manager Bill Schmidt said Halvorsen – and Vodnik – were “a high ask.” Halvorsen said he is happy to be a key piece of a young ‘pen.
“There’s clearly a lot of talent, and we’ve been playing really good baseball here in the last three weeks or so,” Halvorsen said. “That’s potentially a foreshadow of what we could be. I’m really excited to be here and a part of this really talented bullpen. We’ve shown success. Building on the next successes together is going to be really good.”
Freeland update
Lefty Kyle Freeland, still feeling the effects of the illness that marred his last start, was pushed from Tuesday night to Wednesday afternoon. The Rockies have summoned right-hander Anthony Molina from Triple-A Albuquerque and plan to activate him for Tuesday’s start.