Chad Bettis update: rehab start in Double-A Hartford

The Rockies have been looking forward to their right-handed starter Chad Bettis to return to the rotation after being out all season with testicular cancer.

As our own Kevin Henry reported one week ago in this article, Chad Bettis was recently sent to Double-A Hartford to have a few rehab starts before returning to the Rockies. He made his first start yesterday against the Double-A team of the New York Yankees, the Trenton Thunder.

The start of the rehab

Bettis has gone under chemotherapy for the past few months after he learned in March that the testicular cancer had spread in March.

In early June. Bettis returned to the Rockies to rebuild his stamina. He started by throwing batting practice to his teammates and bullpen sessions. Last week, he progressed on to a simulated game. Everything went according to plan and then, this week, he was sent to Double-A Hartford to start on a minor league rehab assignment.

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The start

Bettis went two innings and he did not allow a hit or an earned run. He did allow an unearned run after an error by third baseman Josh Fuentes in the first inning allowed on one of the Yankees’ top prospects Jorge Mateo. He then stole second base and with one out, Trenton’s Thairo Estrada reached on a fielder’s choice and Mateo took third. Then, Bettis allowed a sacrifice fly to Billy Fleming before striking out Zach Zehner to end the inning.

In the second inning, Bettis retired the side in order and he struck out two in the inning.

Overall, Bettis had 31 pitches and 19 were strikes. He struck out three and did not walk a batter. He faced eight batters. Ironically, if Bettis would have faced one more batter, he would have faced the son of former Rockie and former Blake Street bomber Dante Bichette, Dante Bichette Jr.

Next: Rox trade rumors: starting pitching edition

Final Thoughts

There isn’t a specific date on when Bettis will return but as the Denver Post said in this article, Bettis may return by the end of the month. That is something that the Rockies and Rockies fans can look forward to.