Colorado Rockies: What if Ryan McMahon heads to the IL and what does it mean?

The Colorado Rockies may dealing with another blow to their first base ranks as Ryan McMahon had to have a MRI on his left elbow after a collision late in Friday’s game. As of now, Rockies manager Bud Black is classifying it as “hyperextended” but he would not say whether McMahon will head to the injured list.

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black spoke to the media, including Rox Pile’s own Jake Shapiro, before today’s game with the Dodgers and in the meeting, he provided an update on Rockies first baseman Ryan McMahon‘s injury.

We still don’t know what will happen with McMahon but as Thomas Harding of MLB.com noted in this tweet, he could not even wear his glove on his left hand in infield practice today.

In tonight’s lineup, Mark Reynolds is at first base and Pat Valaika is at second base. However, if McMahon heads to the injured list, just a week after first baseman Daniel Murphy headed to the injured list with a fractured finger that will sideline him for at least four weeks, the Rockies will have to make one of a few things that they didn’t expect that they’d have to do less than two weeks into the season.

Make a move to the minor leagues

If the Rockies have to place McMahon on the injured list, they could make a move to the minor leagues. They could recall somebody with major league time already, like Noel Cuevas or Yonathan Daza. They could even recall catcher Drew Butera as Tony Wolters could help out the Rockies in the infield, but I would say that’s a lot less likely.

However, if the Rockies want to recall an infielder, they will have to start the major league clock on somebody. The two likely candidates are Rockies #1 prospect Brendan Rodgers or the reigning Pacific Coast League MVP Josh Fuentes. However, if they start their MLB service clocks this early into the season, they will use an option on them early in the season and, potentially, have one less year of service time on them before free agency.

This is obviously not a move that the Rockies would like to do but they might have to do it.

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Make a move outside of the organization

At this point, there are not a ton of players on the free agent market that are infielders. According to MLB Trade Rumors free agent tracker, the infielders on the market are Jose Bautista, Chase Headley, Logan Morrison, Brandon Phillips, Jose Reyes, and Danny Valencia.

Automatically, Jose Reyes is off the list considering his bad history with the Rockies. Also, none of the others have had spring training either so they would need some work in extended spring training. That doesn’t help the Rockies right now at all.

The other option is a trade. Honestly, I don’t think that this is a realistic option unless McMahon (or Murphy’s) injury is more serious than what is being let on.

So, essentially, that leaves diving down to the minor leagues. In this case, I would think that Mark Reynolds would get the majority of time at first base and Garrett Hampson at second base with some time from Pat Valaika, Tony Wolters, whomever is called up, and potentially even Ian Desmond in the infield.

It’s a less than ideal situation but it’s something that may have to happen if McMahon is injured enough to head to the injured list.

UPDATE (5:09 PM MT): According to the Rockies PR team on Twitter, the Rockies have placed McMahon on the 10-day IL and they have called up Josh Fuentes from Triple-A Albuquerque.