Kyle Freeland’s night against the Dodgers ended abruptly Wednesday, and the Rockies were left waiting for word after their left-hander came out with neck tightness in the fourth inning.
Freeland had been cruising early in Denver, striking out five over three innings while allowing just one run. Then the fourth turned fast. Mookie Betts opened the inning with a homer to left, and three hitters later Kiké Hernández followed with a two-run shot.
The injury sequence came on Ben Rortvedt’s fly ball to right field for the inning’s second out. After that play, manager Warren Schaeffer and assistant athletic trainer Heath Townsend went to the mound, and Freeland exited shortly after. The Rockies broadcast later said he left because of neck tightness.
Lefty reliever Mark Manfredi took over for his Major League debut. Manfredi, who was acquired from the Brewers at the Trade Deadline and was selected from Triple-A Albuquerque earlier Wednesday, stepped into the game in Freeland’s place.
The timing was especially frustrating for Freeland, 33, who had been on a strong run. Two of his previous three starts had been gems: the first complete game of his 10-season career in an 8-1 win over the Royals on Aug. 2, and an eight-inning outing in a 5-2 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park last Friday.
Freeland is in the final season of a five-year, $64.5 million contract, and that recent stretch had given him an outside chance at adding another year. If he gets to 170 innings this season, he will trigger a vesting option worth $17 million for 2027, the same amount as his salary this year. He left Wednesday after 3 2/3 innings and stood at 124 1/3 innings for the season with August and September still ahead.
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