Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon won’t be ready for Cubs opener

On Sunday morning during his daily media session, Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black said Charlie Blackmon would not come off the injured list in time for the Rockies to open a three-game series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.

Charlie Blackmon, who was placed on the injured list on May 27 (retroactive to May 24) with a right calf strain, has been rumored to be ready to return to the Colorado Rockies lineup on Tuesday in Chicago. However, Bud Black said on Sunday that that would not be the case.

“No,” Black said when he was asked if Blackmon would be ready on Tuesday. That game in Chicago marks the first return for the Rockies to Wrigley Field since Colorado knocked off the Cubs in the National League Wild Card Game in a 2-1, 13-inning victory.

More from Colorado Rockies News

• A Colorado Rockies Thanksgiving
• Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the season
• Colorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers series
• Colorado Rockies: 3 things we appreciated from Tuesday in San Francisco
• What Bill Schmidt’s comments mean for the Colorado Rockies in 2023

Black, who would not give a timeline on Blackmon’s return, added that there will be some sort of game activity (whether it’s a simulated game or minor league rehab assignment) before Blackmon was cleared to rejoin the active roster.

The 32-year-old Blackmon took batting practice on the field at Coors Field on Sunday and looked to have no issues hitting. However, Blackmon told us earlier in the week that the biggest issue for him was pushing off with the calf at game speed. That includes coming out of the batter’s box as well as patrolling the outfield.

In a move likely dictated by Blackmon’s absence, Garrett Hampson was recalled from Triple-A in time for Sunday’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays in Denver. Hampson will provide outfield depth, among other things, in Blackmon’s absence.

In 200 at-bats this season, Blackmon is slashing .300/.356/.565 with an OPS of .921. That includes hitting .397/.478/.872 with an OPS of 1.350 at Coors Field.

After an April where he hit .269, Blackmon was zeroed in May before his injury, posting a .333 average in 78 at-bats and hitting seven of his 10 home runs.