DENVER – Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland clutched his back after throwing a fourth-inning pitch during the team's 6-4, 10-inning loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night, then left the game after a brief mound consultation.
The Rockies broadcast later announced that Freeland departed due to neck tightness. Freeland was not available after the game, and manager Warren Schaeffer said he had no further information.
Freeland was solid through three innings, having struck out five while giving up one run. But Mookie Betts led off the fourth with a homer to left field, and three batters later Kiké Hernández added a two-run homer.
The injury occurred during Ben Rortvedt’s fly ball to right field for the inning’s second out. Manager Warren Schaeffer and assistant athletic trainer Heath Townsend came to the mound, then Freeland quickly departed the game. Lefty reliever Mark Manfredi, obtained from the Brewers at the Trade Deadline and selected from Triple-A Albuquerque earlier Wednesday, entered for his Major League debut and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The injury occurred as Freeland, 33, was surging. Two of his last three starts were the first complete game of his 10-season career in an 8-1 victory over the Royals on Aug. 2, and an eight-inning effort in a 5-2 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park last Friday.
While Freeland is in the last season of a five-year, $64.5 million contract, the recent hot streak gave him an outside shot at earning another year on the deal. If he reaches 170 innings this season, he will satisfy his vesting option worth $17 million – same as his salary this year – for 2027. When Freeland left Wednesday’s game after 3 2/3 innings, he was at 124 1/3 for this season with the remainder of August and September to go.