Colorado Rockies Updates: Roster moves, Adam Ottavino progressing

DENVER – On Saturday, the Colorado Rockies made a roster move ahead of their second game of three with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Harrison Musgrave was placed on the bereavement list and will miss the next three to seven games. Though, manager Bud Black said the long-man lefty is likely to be back on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has gone 0-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 17.0 innings pitched. The rookie came up on April 23 and has walked eight and stuckout 11 in 10 appearances.

Replacing Musgrave on the roster is the 25-year-old Sam Howard. He will make his MLB debut in the coming days. In nine starts with Triple-A Albuquerque this season, he is 3-4 with a 4.68 ERA. Howard last pitched on June 2 against Fresno. He has a career minor league record of 29-33 with a 3.68 ERA since getting drafted as a third-round draft pick by Colorado in 2014 out of Georgia Southern University.

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Howard has mainly started in the minors and said his only true bullpen experience has come in big league camp during Spring Training. He joins Jeff Hoffman who came up Friday to join the Rockies’ bullpen. Each were pitching in the Isotopes’ rotation.

More bullpen news occurred Saturday as Adam Ottavino threw another bullpen in returning from his oblique strain which has sidelined him since May 28. Black said it was “an encouraging” session. He threw all his pitches and did not feel his injury whatsoever. In fact, Ottavino may not even go down to rehab but there is no definitive day for his return.

Zac Rosscup, who has yet to pitch this year, threw a live batting practice on the field today at Coors Field. Rosscup did not throw is slider, though he is in bullpens. He told Rox Pile that both his fastball and changeup feel good and he feels as though he’s making progress in return from a wart on his left middle finger.

The lefty Rosscup was acquired partway through last season and with Musgrave down for a few days the bullpen struggling the Rockies may have called his number today had he been healthy. Instead it’s Howard who some were surprised by, pointing to Antonio Senzatela as the best option.

Next: Jeff Hoffman is back so is the bullpen better?

Senzatela is not fully healthy is currently working in shorter stints for Triple-A. The Rockies do believe the best version of their team has a healthy Senzatela on it.