Warren Schaeffer’s One Word Answer Says Everything About Chase Dollander Scare

The Colorado Rockies finished their road trip the same way it started, with bad news. The pitching staff may be taking a hit, and after a 2-4 road trip, everyone is feeling a little down.

A 7-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday was not the way the team wanted to end their trip, headed into a six-game homestand. The most alarming thing that came out of the series, though, had nothing to do with the final score.

The Rockies Have Legitimate Scare with Dollander

Chase Dollander was in trouble from the very first pitch. In the first inning, Ryan O’Hearn crushed a two-run homer, and from that point forward, Dollander just couldn’t get things going.

After two batters in the second inning, Dollander shook out his right arm and immediately he was visited at the mound by a trainer and manager Warren Schaeffer.

That was the end. Dollander was pulled from the game. He had allowed five hits, three earned runs and one walk on 28 pitches. He didn’t strike out a single batter.

Velocity was the key indicator that told the story before the team ever got to the postgame interviews. Dollander’s fastball usually hovers around 98-99 mph, even going into the triple-digits. That wasn’t the case on Wednesday.

He was clocking more in the range of 95-96 mph and the training staff was watching closely. It was confirmed as right arm tightness.

As reported by Patrick Saunders on X, following the game, manager Warren Schaeffer had this to say about whether he thought Dollander’s fastball velocity was down, “Maybe.”

That single word answer. “Maybe.”

He went on to say, “Just general arm tightness is what we're going to roll with right now. We'll do some evaluations and check back tomorrow."

Those words felt very carefully chosen and might have even felt a little defeated.

From the exit point of Dollander, things went downhill until Tanner Gordon stepped in. He produced 4.0 innings of one-run ball and five strikeouts. That was the bright spot and one that this team really needed.

The offense had a rough time as well. They produced just five hits and stranded four on base. The only productive moment was when Troy Johnston drove in both Colorado runs with a two-out RBI double in the fourth inning.

Looking Forward for the Rockies

Chase Dollander | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“Maybe” and “...roll with right now...” are not phrases that inspire confidence after your best pitcher just shook out his arm in the second inning.

If Dollander misses time he will join six other pitchers already on the IL: Jimmy Hergert, Jeff Criswell, Ryan Feltner, McCade Brown, RJ Petit and Pierson Ohl.

For an organization that was needing a positive note, Dollander leaving early was the exact opposite.

His season line is 3-3, 3.89 ERA, 44.0 innings pitched, 47 strikeouts, 1.30 WHIP. He was having a breakout season and his 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings is elite.

When he is on, he is one of the brightest spots in the NL West. His only blemish on his line is the homeruns he has allowed showing six in his time on the mound this season.

Thursday morning will be key for the rising star and will tell Colorado what they need to know. Wednesday night will likely be full of planning a murky pitching rotation with all of the “what ifs” surrounding the staff.

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