Rockies Turn to Journeyman Infielder After Brenton Doyle Injury

Sometimes an open door is all somebody needs to break out and create an opportunity.

Colorado Rockies hat. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Few players on the Colorado Rockies have been as dedicated to the organization as Brenton Doyle. Drafted by the team in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Doyle has spent his entire career with the Rockies. Although his performance in the big leagues hasn’t always been outstanding, he currently holds a career slash line of .233/.284/.385, despite playing half of his games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field. Nonetheless, he has always remained a fan favorite.

For at least 10 days, however, he’s going to be on the shelf.

Doyle was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 20, with a left oblique strain. The subsequent move the Rockies made to replace him on the roster was calling up infielder Chad Stevens from Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Colorado Rockies announced today the following transactions:
-Selected the contract of INF Chad Stevens (#39) from Triple-A Albuquerque.
-Recalled RHP Blas Castaño from Triple-A.
-Placed OF Brenton Doyle on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 20 (left oblique…

— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) May 21, 2026

On paper, there’s not a lot here that moves the needle for the Rockies in the immediate future. Doyle hadn’t been hitting all that well, and Stevens is an average MLB hitter at best. In five games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2025, Stevens collected just two hits in 14 tries. It wasn’t a spectacular first stint in the big leagues, yet now he has an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong and make a name for himself once and for all.

Chad Stevens Has an Opportunity to Prove Himself

Colorado Rockies shortstop Chad Stevens. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Stevens has been lighting up the minors through the first month and a half of the season. In 40 games with the Albuquerque Isotopes, Stevens has put up a .362/.435/.523 slash line with three home runs and 25 RBIs. His .958 OPS is the ninth-best mark in that statistic in the Pacific Coast League. Stevens definitely still has some gas in the tank. The only question is whether he can parlay his success in the minors and bring it to the MLB.

He'd better prove he belongs quickly, too. Doyle might not be out for that long, so his spot on the active roster isn’t a certainty any further than Doyle is injured.

The past doesn’t matter at this point. All that does is the here and now. If Stevens can grab this opportunity by the horns and show that he’s a bona fide hitter at the highest level of professional baseball, then he’ll have cemented his spot in Denver for as long as the team wants him. If not, then he’ll be packing his bags and heading back to Triple-A.

Both he and the Rockies hope that doesn’t happen.