Rockies, Germán Márquez Await Results of MRI on Potential Shoulder Injury

The Colorado Rockies are one step closer to finding out if they’ll need to place pitcher Germán Márquez on the injured list.

Aug 20, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; A detail view of a Colorado Rockies batting helmet in the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

While the Colorado Rockies hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, Germán Márquez underwent an MRI on his pitching shoulder.

Multiple outlets, including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, reported the MRI.

The right-hander left Sunday’s start after three innings due to what he called a “little pinch” in his shoulder, as reported by Rockies beat writers.

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The MRI is going to determine the severity of what he is dealing with. The Rockies are calling it shoulder inflammation for now.

The issue wasn’t an isolated one. He told reporters that he pitched through shoulder discomfort during his last start before the All-Star break. The hope was that the extended rest would allow him to get past it.

Márquez admitted that the pinch was enough for him to believe that his next start could be in jeopardy.

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He pitched three innings, allowed four hits and three earned runs. He struck out two and walked four as he also allowed a home run. At the time, Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer said his removal was a precaution.

The timing is not great if Colorado’s intention was to trade him by the July 31 deadline. Márquez has been floated as a potential trade candidate because of his experience, his fit as a back-of-the-rotation starter and the fact that he’s a free agent after this season.

Márquez has proven he’s healthy after two seasons of trying to rehab from a major injury. In May of 2023 he had Tommy John surgery on his right arm and missed the rest of the season. He missed most of the 2024 season rehabbing from the surgery. Once he returned, he suffered a stress reaction in his elbow.

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Combined he made just five starts in 2023 and 2024. Before that, he was reliable. He won 10 or more games in four seasons, including a 14-11 record in 2018.

After taking the loss on Sunday, he is 3-11 with a. 5.67 ERA in 20 starts. He has struck out 73 and walked 35 in 98.1 innings.

But, at one point earlier this season, Márquez gave up three or fewer runs in six of eight starts and he had a 2.97 ERA for June.

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Márquez was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2011. Five years later, he was included in a trade with Colorado.

In 2016, he made his MLB debut with the Rockies and for the last 10 seasons he’s been a part of the Rockies’ pitching staff, mostly as a starter.

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