Colorado Rockies: Lucas Gilbreath out for year with elbow injury

The Colorado Rockies pitching staff has suffered yet another blow.

The season for Colorado Rockies left-hander Lucas Gilbreath has come to an end.

During his pregame press conference before Monday afternoon’s Labor Day matchup between the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers, Rockies manager Bud Black announced that left-hander Lucas Gilbreath will miss the remainder of the season due to a left elbow injury.

“(He’s) doing better, feeling better,” Black told media about Gilbreath, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 28, retroactive to August 27, with a left elbow flexor strain.

“He’s going to receive a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection in the next four or five days. That should help the healing process.”

The injury completes an up-and-down year for Gilbreath, a native of Westminister, Colo., who was in his second season with the Rockies.

Gilbreath started the season on the 10-day IL due to COVID-19 protocols. After a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque, he returned to the Rockies and was activated on April 19.

After early-season ineffectiveness, Gilbreath was optioned back to Albuquerque eight days later. He was then recalled to Colorado on May 8 where he remained with the Rox until his being placed on the IL August 28.

Since his final recall from the Isotopes, he posted a 3.18 earned run average allowing 14 earned runs in 29.2 innings. During that stretch, he limited opponents to a .225 average with seven extra-base hits and just one home run.

During a 28-game span from May 14-July 22, he notched an 0.64 ERA, surrendering just two earned runs in 28 innings with a .189 opponent batting average. His ERA during that time was the third-lowest among all Major Leaguers (minimum 20 games played).

For the season, Gilbreath finished with a 4.19 ERA. In 43 innings in 47 appearances, he allowed 37 hits and 20 earned runs with 26 walks and 49 strikeouts. He had 12 holds.

After the All-Star break, Gilbreath amassed a 6.23 ERA in 13 innings and was scored upon seven times in 15 appearances. He relinquished runs in five of his last eight outings.

Gilbreath joins fellow relief pitcher Tyler Kinley (right ulnar nerve) and starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela (left ACL tear) as Rockies hurlers whose respective 2022 campaigns have ended early due to injury.