Colorado Rockies Rookie Chase Dollander Hits Injured List With Forearm Tightness

Chase Dollander was just starting to gain steam in the Colorado Rockies' starting rotation before the former top prospect went down with right forearm tightness.

Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chase Dollander (32) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Coors Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies have placed right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness, retroactive to May 19, the club announced Thursday.

Dollander last took the mound May 18 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. While he is 2-5 with a 6.28 ERA, 1.422 WHIP and -0.2 WAR through eight starts this season, the 23-year-old had held opponents to two or fewer runs in three of his last four outings.

The 23-year-old just graduated from prospect status on Wednesday, but he came into the season ranked No. 1 in the Rockies' farm system and No. 25 in all of baseball. After getting selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Dollander proceeded to go 6-2 with a 2.58 ERA, 1.221 WHIP and 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 24 minor league starts.

Right-handed pitcher Juan Mejia was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill out Colorado's roster in Dollander's absence. Mejia is a reliever, though, so it remains to be seen who will start against the New York Yankees on Friday.

Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela are slated to take the mound Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Germán Márquez will have only just started on Thursday, while Carson Palmquist just pitched on Wednesday.

Dollander will not be eligible to return to the active roster until June 3, leaving Colorado with a shortened rotation in the meantime. But with their record sitting at 8-41 this season, the Rockies can hardly get much worse.

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