Colorado Rockies: Comparing their injury numbers to other MLB teams

There is no question that the Colorado Rockies have had plenty of injuries in 2019, including their entire Opening Week pitching rotation currently being on the injured list. But how do the number of injuries the Rockies have endured this season stack up with other Major League Baseball teams?

According to Spotrac.com, the Colorado Rockies have had 22 players land on the injured list at some point during this season. That number, which includes 13 pitchers, is the sixth-highest total in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees lead the list with a record-setting 29 different players according to this article while Spotrac lists the number at 31.

Between the Rockies and the Yankees (according to Spotrac) are the Philadelphia Phillies (27), Los Angeles Angels (24), Los Angeles Dodgers (23) and Pittsburgh Pirates (23). At the low end of the scale are the San Francisco Giants (10), Kansas City Royals (11) and Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros (12).

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In all, the Rockies have used 48 different players this season, including 19 right-handed pitchers and eight southpaws. Four people have caught while 10 have played in the infield and seven have roamed the outfield.

So far this season, the Rockies have used 48 different players, their most since using 51 in the 2015 campaign. As a comparison, Colorado used a franchise-low 41 players in back-to-back postseason appearances in 2017 and 2018.

Among those 48 players, Colorado has had 28 pitchers take the mound. That’s the fourth-most in franchise history and the most since Colorado used a franchise-record 30 different pitchers in 2015. Ironically, Colorado also used 30 pitchers in the World Series year of 2007.

Injuries have been a big headline of Colorado’s season, but it’s also not been the deciding factor in their demise this season. After all, if injuries determined any degree of on-field success, the Yankees wouldn’t be churning toward the American League East title.

While injuries have played a role, it’s more what the Rockies have been able to field to replace those injured players. A lack of Major League-ready depth has haunted the Rockies on the mound in the second half while a rotation in center field has yet to fill the hole created by David Dahl’s high ankle sprain in early August.

Absolutely, pay attention to the number of injured players who have fallen this season for the Rockies. But perhaps it’s more telling that teams like the Dodgers and Yankees have figured out how to overcome them while the Rockies have not.