Colorado Rockies shake up bullpen with Chi Chi Gonzalez activation

On Saturday, the Colorado Rockies reinstated right-handed pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez from the 10-day injured list and optioned right-handed pitcher Ashton Goudeau to the team’s alternate training site.

The move by the Colorado Rockies on Saturday afternoon makes things a little interesting with the Colorado rotation and bullpen. When Chi Chi Gonzalez went on the injured list on August 7 (retroactive to August 4) with right biceps tendonitis, Gonzalez was the team’s fifth starter but made just one start thanks in part to Colorado’s schedule and multiple off days at the start of the season.

In that one start, Gonzalez lasted just three innings and gave up five hits and three runs.

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With Gonzalez on the injured list, Ryan Castellani was called up to make his Major League debut on August 8 in Seattle as the team’s fifth starter. Castellani has been solid in the fifth starter role, making four starts and posted a 3.54 ERA in 20.1 innings of work.

When Colorado released its lineup card on Saturday before it took the field against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field, Gonzalez was listed as a part of the bullpen (Castellani is scheduled to start on Sunday against San Diego). With this in mind, Gonzalez will likely slide into a long reliever role (for now) as he comes back to the Rockies.

Gonzalez has started 15 of the 17 career games he has played with Colorado. However, in a shortened season, the 28-year-old will almost certainly have his next appearance come in a relief role.

What does this mean for the Rockies in terms of pitching? There won’t likely be a shakeup in the rotation (unless another pitcher is acquired before Monday’s trade deadline) and Gonzalez will likely be eased back into action by manager Bud Black to see exactly what role he can bring to a bullpen that will be tested with a heavy slate of division games in September.