Tyler Chatwood might miss first start; it might be Jordan Lyles time already

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies need to get off to respectable start in April of their 2014 season if they are going to matter. This is the case due to the fact that they are forced right away into a schedule with few off-days and a number of divisional games.

Entering the season down two members of their starting rotation certainly was not part of the plan. With Jhoulys Chacin on the disabled list, the team is now at risk to face just that reality thanks to Tyler Chatwood’s tweaked hamstring. The injury is considered minor, but according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, Chatwood might be at risk to miss his first start of the season this week. If that happens, he will be placed on the 15-day disabled list and Jordan Lyles will be called up to the big league rotation.

"If Chatwood needs to go on the disabled list, the team likely will go with righty Jordan Lyles, who pitched well in camp (0-1, 3.18 ERA, 12 strikeouts, six walks in five games), but was edged out for the fifth starter slot by lefty Franklin Morales. Lyles last threw in a Spring Training game on March 22. He threw informally at the Rockies’ complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday.”"

Chatwood’s own assessment continues to be that he will be ready to go. Hopefully this is simply a case of the team putting a plan in place to account for the scenario in which Chatwood cannot go. Either way, consider this your reminder that pitching depth is mega-important: opening day hasn’t even happened yet, and already we have to visualize a world in which the 6th starter is called upon.