PHOENIX -- Kris Bryant's difficult season, and at times painful tenure with the Rockies, hit another snag on Thursday, when he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left heel bruise.

Manager Bud Black said: “I don’t think it [the injury] is related” to last year’s bout with plantar fasciitis in the same foot, which flared after the All-Star break. 

In a corresponding move, designated hitter-outfielder Charlie Blackmon was reinstated from the bereavement list after missing three games.

Bryant didn’t play after July 31, 2022 -- the first of his seven-year, $182 million contract.

Bryant fouled a pitch off the same foot during his final at-bat of Tuesday night’s 5-1 loss to the D-backs at Chase Field. Black said the bigger issue is the heel bruise, which came from playing on the composite surfaces at Chase Field this week and previously at Globe Life Field May 19-21.

Bryant was on the bench, but he did not play in Wednesday night’s 6-0 loss to the D-backs.

Before landing on the IL, Bryant was mired in a slump that dropped his batting average from .301 on May 2 to its current .263, to go with five home runs and 17 RBIs. 

Last year, Bryant missed time with a back injury and the foot injury late. He appeared in just 42 games and slashed .306/.376/.475 with five home runs (none at home) and 14 RBIs.

Black said that instead of accompanying the team to Kansas City for its weekend series against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, Bryant will head back to Denver and work with other rehabbing players at Coors Field.