Carlos Gonzalez closer to returning from finger injury

The Colorado Rockies are closer to having Carlos Gonzalez return to the team after missing time with a painful, odd, and ultimately gross finger injury.

More from Colorado Rockies News

While the demise of the season cannot be attributed to CarGo’s absence as much as it can to the time missed by third baseman Nolan Arenado, it would still be a welcome sight to see Gonzalez’s name next to Troy Tulowitzki‘s on the lineup card. CarGo took good steps in the right direction this week, swinging a bat while taking soft toss.

That means he should be ready for a rehab assignment soon, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com:

"Gonzalez underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his left index finger on June 10. Rockies head athletic trainer Keith Dugger said there is still a tender spot on the finger from where the stitches were removed, but Gonzalez has begun hitting and throwing, and he is moving toward an injury rehab assignment.Dugger said the Rockies can’t determine when the assignment will be “until he takes live BP, and hopefully he can do it before we get home.”"

To be completely honest, I am not sure how to gauge my excitement for Gonzalez’s return. On the one hand it will be comforting to see him in the lineup again. On the other hand, the player who labored through the first couple months of this season looked nothing like the CarGo we have all come to love.

Those pained swings did not deliver the beautiful, powerful home runs that we have been spoiled with over the years. Those legs did not allow him to glide to fly balls in the gaps or in foul territory. Stolen bases from CarGo are a thing of previous seasons, or at least they were in the opening weeks of 2014.

I am anxious for CarGo to return, but I am also nervous that he still won’t be the same. What I really want is only to see CarGo back if he will look like his old self…but that just might not be possible at this point.

Schedule