Colorado Rockies bullpen gets shakeup with Alex Colomé injury

After struggling mightily on the mound since the All-Star break, Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Alex Colomé was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with right lateral epicondylitis (commonly known as tennis elbow).

Colorado Rockies injury news: Alex Colomé lands on injured list

In his first season with the Colorado Rockies, the 33-year-old Colomé has been a key piece of the back end of the bullpen this season. However, in his last 10 games, Colomé has posted a 12.91 ERA and 2.217 WHIP as opponents have slashed .355/.447/.774 against him in the last 31 at-bats where he has been on the mound.

Contrast that with the first half of the season where Colomé posted a .286 ERA and 1.414 WHIP and it’s easy to see that something has been off for the right-hander in recent games.

“There are times when pitchers are able to fight through some arm soreness,” Colorado manager Bud Black said before Saturday’s home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. “As it relates to Alex, he got to the point where he felt it was affecting his ability to make pitches. So he came forward. We talked through it and he saw our doctor. The recommendation from our medical team was to shut him down and put him on the injured list.”

Black’s hope is that Colomé will be ready to return when his time on the 15-day injured list expires.

In Colome’s absence, Carlos Estévez could be pushed into additional high-leverage situations, as could Lucas Gilbreath, one of two lefties in the Colorado bullpen (along with long man Austin Gomber).

To take Colomé’s place on the active roster, Justin Lawrence was once again recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque. This is his fifth time on the roster this season (excluding one stint as the 27th man during a double-header). The right-hander has tossed a scoreless outing in 10 of his 16 appearances this season.