Colorado Rockies: Will Nolan Arenado be available on Sunday?
On Saturday, the Colorado Rockies took the field without the services of their All-Star third baseman. It appears that, in the season finale on Sunday, the Rockies will have to once again face the Milwaukee Brewers without him.
Nolan Arenado was not in Saturday’s lineup with what Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black called “a little bit of a sore side and a back issue.” Arenado did not pinch hit in Saturday’s 3-2 walkoff win over the Brewers and, after the victory, Black told the media that Arenado was “probably not” available to play in Sunday’s game.
Ryan McMahon took over at third base in Arenado’s absence on Saturday night.
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Black said that Arenado first suffered the injury during the just-completed road series against the San Francisco Giants. The issue flared up again during Friday’s win over the Brewers, causing Arenado to leave the contest early.
“You saw some of the swings that weren’t quite Nolan-like,” Black said of Arenado trying to play through the discomfort on Friday night at Coors Field.
Should Arenado not play in the season finale, he will finish with 41 home runs, just one short of his career-high established in 2015. He also hit 41 homers in 2016, making him the second player in franchise history to have three seasons with at least 40 or more homers, along with Vinny Castilla.
Also on the home run front, Arenado hit 20 on the road this season, tying him for the sixth-most away from home in the National League. That allowed him to become the second Rockies player (along with Castilla) to have multiple seasons of 20 or more home runs away from Denver.
On September 10, Arenado recorded his 500th extra base hit, becoming the fourth Rockies player to reach that milestone, along with Todd Helton, Larry Walker and Carlos Gonzalez.
Arenado is the first third baseman in National League history to have five consecutive seasons of at least 30 homers and 100 RBI.