Colorado Rockies injury news: Kris Bryant and Garrett Hampson

As the Colorado Rockies returned home on Friday to start a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field, there was plenty of injury news surrounding Kris Bryant and Garrett Hampson.

Here is the latest injury news involving Kris Bryant and Garrett Hampson of the Colorado Rockies

Let’s start with Kris Bryant, who was placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Tuesday, April 26) with a back strain. In his first season with the Colorado Rockies, Bryant is slashing .281/.338/.351 but has yet to hit a home run. He has also slumped in his last four games, slashing just .071/.188/.071 in 14 at-bats.

Colorado manager Bud Black said that he believed the back issue has affected Bryant at the plate in recent games.

If all goes well, Bryant could be back in time to join the Rockies next weekend when they open a six-game road trip to Arizona and San Francisco.

Taking Bryant’s place on the active roster will be Elehuris Montero, who was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Nolan Arenado trade before the 2021 campaign. The 23-year-old Montero, ranked as Colorado’s fourth-highest prospect, has played 16 games at third base this season at Triple-A Albuquerque as well as three games at first. With the Rockies, he could see potentially time at either position, as well as in the designated hitter role against left-handers.

Black said that he expected Montero, who will make his Major League debut, to arrive during Friday night’s game and will likely not be available until Saturday. Montero is slashing .288/.356/.450 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 80 at-bats this season for the Isotopes.

“We felt as though we needed another position player and another bat, and he was a guy on our 40-man roster at the upper level that was most ready to come and join us,” Black said.

Speaking of Albuquerque, Hampson took batting practice with the Rockies on Friday at Coors Field and then left to join the Isotopes for a pair of games this weekend in New Mexico. On the 10-day injured list with a bruised right hand, Hampson said that he will focus on hitting and how his bruised hand responds to that in both games in Albuquerque.

The plan, according to Hampson, is for him to come back to Denver on Monday (an off day for both the Rockies and Isotopes) and then possibly be activated in time for Tuesday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals (depending on how things go this weekend).

Hampson is 1-for-9 this season for the Rockies and hasn’t appeared in a game since April 15.