Colorado Rockies: Kyle Freeland leaves Saturday with blister issue

By Kevin Henry | Apr 13, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 13: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball game at Oracle Park on April 13, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies were hoping to turn around their recent losing ways on Saturday in San Francisco with Kyle Freeland on the mound. Not only did Freeland leave the mound on Saturday with a deficit but it appears he may have also been dealing with a blister issue on his pitching hand.

Kyle Freeland was pulled from the Colorado Rockies lineup in the top of the sixth inning and replaced by Josh Fuentes as a pinch-hitter. Rockies TV analysts and Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post (see tweet here) believe that Freeland may have been pulled after just 76 pitches because of a developing blister on his hand.

Freeland allowed nine hits and three earned runs in his five innings of work. He walked one and struck out five as the 25-year-old southpaw left the game with a 3-0 deficit.

More from Colorado Rockies News

His ERA sits at 5.40 this season after four starts. He won his Opening Day start against the Miami Marlins but hasn’t gone more than five innings in his next three starts, including Saturday. Perhaps most alarming is Freeland’s high walk rate as he has walked nine batters in 14.2 innings of work since Opening Day.

Freeland burst onto the national scene last year as he posted a 17-7 mark with a 2.85 ERA and finished fourth in the National League Cy Young balloting. One thing to note is that he started 1-4 in April with a 4.24 ERA but was one of the NL’s most dominating pitchers the rest of the season.

Colorado is already facing injury issues, including on the mound. Starter Tyler Anderson is already on the injured list with left knee inflammation and his turn in the rotation is due up on Monday when the Rockies head to San Diego. Jeff Hoffman could be called up from Triple-A to take his spot or Antonio Senzatela could return from the injured list to take Anderson’s turn.

dark. Next. Searching for the early positives in Colorado's tough start

We will update this story when more information on Freeland becomes available.

UPDATE: Bud Black said after the game it was a blister on the middle finger but, “he’ll be fine.”

Freeland also said after the game that the blister wasn’t affecting him. Freeland said he wanted to keep pitching but the Rockies took him out as a precaution.

We will see if this jeopardizes Freeland’s next start.

Home/Colorado Rockies News