Colorado Rockies: The 2021 season just added more roster uncertainty

It was also announced on Wednesday that David Dahl’s season was over after heading to the injured list with what was called a right shoulder strain.

In a meeting with reporters after the announcement, Dahl said that the shoulder has been bothering him since January. It’s very likely it (along with lower back soreness which landed him on the injured list on August 18 and “core soreness” that slowed him down during the second installment of spring training at Coors Field this summer) greatly contributed to a season where he slashed just .183/.222/.247 in 93 at-bats.

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Ultimately, the shoulder ended what was a very disappointing campaign for the 2019 All-Star and added to a list of injuries that have kept him off the field.

"“I thought maybe my shoulder was just weak and I needed to strengthen it and I needed to throw more so that’s what I did,” Dahl said on Wednesday. “I didn’t say anything. I figured I had been on the DL a lot and I needed to figure this out on my own and push through this. “I just kept trying to play through it because we were in a playoff push. I was really, really trying but at the end of the day I was really hurting and I felt like I was hurting the team more than helping when I was out there.”"

We wondered aloud when Kevin Pillar was acquired at the trade deadline if Dahl was healthy and would even be back this season. Dahl did come back but wasn’t able to make an impact.

"“I have to sit down in the offseason and figure out what I need to do as far as figuring my body out and doing whatever I can to stay on the field,” Dahl said."

Now, with the 31-year-old Pillar on the team and his contract running out at the end of the season, you have to wonder if the Rockies will take Dahl’s health and playing situation into consideration when thinking about re-signing Pillar. The Rockies will have Charlie Blackmon back and Raimel Tapia grabbed hold of playing time in Dahl’s absence. Since coming over from Boston, Pillar has been cemented into the lineup in center field.

There’s no sign that Dahl won’t be ready for the 2021 season. However, there’s also that lingering thought of what the Rockies will do to insure they’re prepared in the event that he isn’t or another injury occurs.

Can Dahl get healthy and once again establish himself as an offensive threat? The answer to that question will likely determine Pillar’s value to the franchise in 2021, or whether the Rockies decide they need to look for other outfield help externally this offseason.