Colorado Rockies injury update: When Mychal Givens might return

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Mychal Givens made his second rehab appearance Saturday night for the Albuquerque Isotopes as he continues his recovery from a left lower back strain suffered in mid-June.

Givens ended up having an abbreviated outing for the Isotopes, Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate, in a contest against the El Paso Chihuahuas.

The right-hander threw only six pitches, three for strikes, and allowed a hit to the only batter he faced Saturday night before the game was called due to rain in the sixth inning.

So when Mychal Givens rejoin the Colorado Rockies bullpen?

“He is going to pitch again tonight in Albuquerque, another inning,” Rockies manager Bud Black told media, including Rox Pile, before Saturday’s Colorado-St. Louis game. “If all goes well, he will join us in Phoenix.”

Following the homestand with the Cardinals on Sunday, the Rox will have a day off from action before traveling to Phoenix for a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That series begins on Tuesday.

“The other night (Thursday), he threw the ball fine,” Black added about Givens’ initial rehab effort with the Isotopes. “I think they (El Paso) nicked him for a run but his stuff was fine and his back reported no problems.”

In that first appearance for the Isotopes, Givens permitted two hits and one run in an inning of relief against El Paso.

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He was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 17 with the lower back injury.

In his last appearance for the Rockies, he tossed a scoreless inning of relief, allowing one hit and collecting two strikeouts on June 15 in Colorado’s 8-4 home victory against San Diego. He earned a hold in the game.

For the season, Givens has appeared in 24 games while compiling a 2-2 record with a 2.78 earned run average. He has surrendered 18 hits in 22.2 innings with 11 walks and 25 strikeouts. He has amassed seven holds and has posted no saves.

Givens had a season-high streak of seven consecutive scoreless relief outings prior to going on the IL.

UPDATE: Givens is starting Sunday night’s game for Albuquerque.

Givens would surrender two hits and one run in one inning of work. The big damage against Givens came from the bat of Tucupita Marcano, who led off the game with a home run on a 2-0 pitch.