Injuries & Moves: No. 3 prospect Veen (hamstring) on 7-day IL
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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
OF Zac Veen (left hamstring injury; Rockies No. 3 prospect, MLB No. 85)
Expected return: TBD
Veen has been persistently hampered by multiple maladies throughout 2024, landing on the IL previously with injuries to his lower back and both hands during the summer. He last appeared in game action on Sept. 17 before being placed on the seven-day IL the following day.
When healthy, the ninth overall pick from the 2020 Draft slugged his way as high as Triple-A Albuquerque this year. Nine of his 18 hits at the level have gone for extra bases, and he has showcased his above-average baserunning aptitude by swiping six bags in 21 contests.
Veen missed the second half of the 2023 season due to wrist surgery, but he made up for lost time and at-bats in the Puerto Rican Winter League. He has appeared in just 65 games this year (111 combined over the past two years), logging 270 plate appearances. (Last updated: Sept. 19)
LHP Lucas Gilbreath (left shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: Likely 2025
Gilbreath, who completed a long recovery from Tommy John surgery only to go back to the IL on Aug. 26 with left shoulder inflammation, said the problem is in the entire shoulder and is still somewhat a mystery.
“The issue we keep running into is as we increase intensity, it can’t handle it so that’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Gilbreath said on Sept. 16. “How do we get to a point where I can do what I need to do, which is consistently throw in games and not have any issues.”
Gilbreath is throwing off the “rebounder” in the training room. The idea is for a delivery that doesn’t stress his body. He has found himself dropping his arm slot to the point that “there’s no way to drive the ball the way that I pitch.”
Gilbreath wants to return by season’s end, but given the issues, that might not happen. (Last updated: Sept. 16)
OF Kris Bryant (back strain)
Expected return: TBD
Bryant, limited to 159 games thus far in his first three seasons of a seven-year, $182 million contract, is doing back exercises in hopes he can return to baseball activities and, eventually, to the field this year.
But time is running out, and manager Bud Black said on Sept. 13 that Bryant is “probably not real close” to returning. Black added that “as each day goes on, it’s becoming increasingly possible that Kris’ season may be over.”
It was believed that if Bryant wasn’t close to returning when the roster expanded in September, he would be placed on the 60-day IL and a Minor League player would be promoted. That didn’t happen and Bryant didn’t join the team, meaning that it's trending toward unlikely that he will return before the season ends. (Last updated: Sept. 13)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Dakota Hudson (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: 2025
Hudson worked on improving his strike zone performance during a trip to Triple-A Albuquerque. But in his return to the Majors on Aug. 10, he walked four in 4 2/3 innings and was put on the 15-day IL the next day. On Sept. 5, he was transferred to the 60-day IL, ending his season. (Last updated: Sept. 5)
RHP Daniel Bard (right forearm surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Bard, 39, is planning another comeback. He earned NL Comeback of the Year Award in 2020 -- his first year back after control problems kept him out of the Majors for seven years. This year, Bard sustained a torn meniscus in his left knee while playing catch prior to Spring Training. He tried to ramp up for the season but sustained the forearm injury -- an issue that had bothered him in 2023 -- and underwent surgery on May 1.
Bard felt positive enough after a visit on Aug. 27 with Dr. Keith Meister, who performed the surgery, that he is willing to take on the comeback attempt. He will be a free agent at the end of this season. (Last updated: Aug. 28)
RHP Germán Márquez (right elbow stress reaction)
Expected return: 2025
Márquez returned from Tommy John surgery and made one start before being placed on the IL again on July 22 (retroactive to July 19). On Aug. 8, he was shut down for the rest of the season with a stress reaction in the olecranon area of his right elbow. Márquez was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 23. (Last updated: Aug. 23)