Colorado Rockies injury news: Will Ian Desmond miss more time?

When Ian Desmond was pulled from the Colorado Rockies lineup on Tuesday night, it was reported that his once-injured calf was acting up again. While we won’t know until later today the severity of the injury, a trip to the disabled list could set Colorado’s roster shifting in motion once again.

Desmond, playing first base during Tuesday night’s loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, was pulled in the fourth inning after re-injuring his right calf. It’s the same calf he injured while playing in the outfield in Arizona on July 2 that eventually landed him on the disabled list for the first time in his career.

Desmond said after the game the calf tightened up on him and the decision to come out of the game was precautionary. Manager Bud Black said he wasn’t sure if it was just tightening or another calf strain.

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He returned to the Colorado lineup on July 16. Since his return, he has at least one hit in five of the eight games in which he has stepped to the plate.

Desmond gives the Rockies versatility, especially at first base where he can spell Mark Reynolds when needed. If Desmond was to miss time again, Gerardo Parra would once again likely step in at first base when needed.

If the 31-year-old Desmond lands back on the disabled list, the Rockies would likely once again call up Raimel Tapia, giving the team outfield depth. The 23-year-old Tapia has been effective when given the chance this season. After starting the season 0-for-14, Tapia has raised his average to .314 with two homers and nine RBI. He has a slash line of .314/.369/.850 this season and his speed has often provided a spark for the Rockies.

Another possibility would be the return of David Dahl to the Colorado lineup, although it’s a very slight possibility. Manager Bud Black has indicated that Dahl needs more at-bats before returning to the big leagues. Heading into Wednesday’s action, Dahl had just 49 bats at the Triple-A level spanning 12 games. He is hitting .245 and has struck out 15 times while drawing just three walks. With those stats, Dahl will likely need more time in Triple-A as he continues to go through the “spring training” he missed while suffering from a rib injury that sidelined him until July 12.

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Will Desmond miss time again with his calf injury? Will Tapia once again get the call from Triple-A? We should know more later today before the Rockies end their three-game series in St. Louis.