Colorado Rockies: 3 players who scuffled after their injuries

Like any Major League Baseball team, the Colorado Rockies dealt with their share of injuries during the 2021 season. However, there are certain players who went through injuries during the season that struggled more after they came back, derailing what could have been a solid statistical season.

In this article, we’ll take a look at three players who looked like different players when they came back from the 10-day injured list in 2021.

Here are 3 members of the Colorado Rockies who came back from the injuries, but struggled upon their return.

Raimel Tapia

Injury: Placed on 10-day injured list on August 10 with right big toe strain. Activated August 30.

Before injury: .288/.339/.386 with OPS of .725

After injury: .209/.277/.308 with OPS of .505

Tapia seemed to have a hold on the leadoff spot for the Rockies when he suffered a toe injury in late July in a series against the San Diego Padres. Tapia tried to push through the injury but lasted just one at-bat on August 8 in a home game against Miami after reaggravating it.

When he went on the injured list, Tapia had a career-high 24 doubles already logged, many of those “hustle doubles” as Tapia’s speed and aggressiveness allowing him to take second on what many would have considered just a long single. After his injury, Tapia had just two doubles in his final 91 at-bats after the injury.

While he was out, Connor Joe grabbed command of the leadoff spot. Joe, however, left a game against Atlanta on September 3 with a hamstring injury and would be out the rest of the season. Had Joe (who took over for Tapia in left field as well) stayed healthy, would Tapia have received as much playing time in September and October as he did? It’s an interesting thought about a player who had plenty of dynamic moments in the season, but not nearly as many after his injury as he did before it.