The Rockies keep waiting on Hunter Goodman, but Monday brought the same frustrating result as Sunday: the All-Star catcher was scratched just before first pitch because the shoulder issue that has been bothering him flared up again.
Goodman had been penciled into the starting lineup for the series opener against the Dodgers, only to be pulled at the last minute. Schaeffer said Goodman is still day-to-day and that there were no immediate plans to place him on the injured list.
It’s the second straight day this has happened, with Goodman initially listed in the lineup and then removed right before the game. For Colorado, that leaves a lingering question around one of its most important bats, even if the team is still treating the situation cautiously.
The late change forced a shuffle against Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell. Cole Carrigg moved into Goodman’s No. 3 spot after originally being set to bat second and play center field. Jordan Beck slid up from sixth to second and is starting in right field, while Brett Sullivan takes over behind the plate and hits eighth.
Colorado’s pitching matchup is a tricky one as well. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the Rockies, carrying a 12-5 record with a 4.43 ERA. He’ll be facing a Dodgers lineup that opens with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages.
The Dodgers send Snell to the mound, and he enters at 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts.
Goodman wasn’t the only roster move Monday. The Rockies designated veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen for assignment and recalled right-hander TJ Shook from Triple-A Albuquerque. Christian Saez of DNVR Rockies reported that Schaeffer confirmed pre-game Tanner Gordon will take Lorenzen’s place in the rotation moving forward.
Still, the main storyline in Denver is Goodman, who has now been lined up to play twice in two days and scratched both times. First pitch at Coors Field is set for 6:40 p.m. MT.
In Other News...
Rockies Just Made A Telling Move After One Veterans Rough Season
The Rockies reshuffled their pitching staff Monday by recalling right-hander TJ Shook from Triple-A Albuquerque and parting ways with veteran Michael Lorenzen. It was a move that reflected how far Lorenzen had drifted from the role Colorado hoped he could fill after a rough season in which run prevention was a constant problem.
Lorenzen is now headed to waivers, leaving his next step uncertain while Colorado absorbs the shift on the roster and the payroll. Even if another club decides to take a chance on him, the Rockies would still be on the hook for the rest of his salary, a reminder that the cost of a disappointing season does not always end when the player leaves the active roster. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Keep Letting Winnable Games Slip Away For One Painful Reason
The Rockies keep finding themselves in games that feel there for the taking, only to watch them tilt the wrong way late. A season defined by close margins has included 31 losses decided by two runs or less, a number that says as much about missed opportunities as it does about the teams overall talent level. When a club is hanging around in so many tight contests, the little things in the final innings start to loom large.
Colorado has already had bullpen moments turn into the difference between a win and another frustrating defeat, including losses attached to Antonio Senzatela and Juan Mejia. Until the pitching stabilizes, especially in those high-leverage spots, the Rockies will keep paying for every shaky inning. If they want any realistic shot at playing meaningful baseball deeper into the season, they have to start closing out the kind of games they keep letting slip away. [Read more 🡒]