Colorado Rockies injury updates: Tyler Chatwood and Tyler Anderson

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black gave an update on a pair of his injured pitchers on Friday before the Rockies opened a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field.

On Friday, Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Chatwood took his first steps toward returning from the disabled list with a right calf strain.

Under the watchful eye of manager Bud Black as well as coaches and trainers, Chatwood threw two simulated innings. In all, Chatwood threw 44 pitches and showed no ill effects from the injury he suffered just before taking the mound against the New York Mets last Saturday.

"“Felt great. Ball was coming out fine. No issues with the calf. We’ll chart the next course of action. Physically, he’s in a really positive spot so we feel good with that, and so does Tyler,” Black told media members on Friday."

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Black said that Chatwood’s next action and next steps were being decided and had no further update.

Chatwood tried to overcome the calf injury and take the mound against the Mets but only lasted 19 pitches. He recorded just one out and gave up four runs, walking three and allowing one hit. He took the loss, moving his record to 6-11 on the season with a 4.74 ERA in 19 starts.

Additionally, Black said starter Tyler Anderson was progressing in the training room and in the weight room. Anderson, bothered by inflammation in his left knee for a majority of the season, underwent arthroscopic surgery in early July. The surgery was expected to sideline him for around four to six weeks. It is his second stint on the disabled list this season with knee issues.

The 27-year-old southpaw has made just 12 starts this season, recording a 3-5 record and 6.11 ERA.

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With injuries to Chatwood and Anderson, Black has been forced to ride his rookie pitching corps of Jeff Hoffman, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez perhaps a little more than expected. In late June, the foursome had pitched 65 percent of the innings accumulated by Rockies starters. With that in mind, Black had hoped to limit their innings. However, injuries have made that plan hard to follow.