CINCINNATI — The hits keep coming for the Rockies.
Already wrecked by injuries and in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, the club has now lost starting pitcher Connor Seabold to soreness in his right triceps, and lefty reliever Brent Suter is sidelined by an oblique injury.
Suter hurt his oblique in Colorado’s 8-6 loss to the Reds on Tuesday at Great American Ballpark.
Seabold was scheduled to start Wednesday afternoon’s game here against the Reds, replacing lefty Kyle Freeland, who has been ill with a virus. Freeland is now scheduled to pitch on Friday night against the Angels at Coors Field.
“It’s been a little bit of a problem area,” Seabold said of his sore triceps. “Usually it will bounce back after a few days. But over the past couple of days it hasn’t felt that great, and to pitch today on short rest, we kind of deduced that it wasn’t the best idea.”
Manager Bud Black, as well as Seebold, are hopeful that Seebold’s injury won’t land him on the 15-day injured list.
Right-hander Karl Kauffmann was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to possibly start Wednesday’s game, but he did not make it to Cincinnati in time to start the game. Instead, right-handed reliever Jake Bird got the ball as an “opener.” Kauffmann departed Reno, Nev. at midnight, flew through Chicago, and landed in Cincinnati at about 9:45 a.m.
“I was able to get a little sleep, I’ll be fine,” Kauffmann said.
Suter, who has a 3.42 ERA, has been a dependable workhorse for Colorado, and his 41 2/3 inning pitched rank as the third-most among major league relievers. He’s worked more than one inning in 17 of 31 of his appearances. But all of those innings might be starting to catch up with him. He’s been scored upon four times in his last six outings and in five of his last 10.
Black would not say if he expects Suter to go on the IL, saying only that Suter’s side is “very sore.”
The Rockies, who are on pace to lose 100 games for the first time in franchise history, have been devastated by injuries. They have already lost starting pitchers German Marquez (Tommy John surgery), Antonio Senzatela (right elbow sprain) and Ryan Feltner (skull fracture and a concussion) for extended periods of time.
Colorado is also playing without designated hitter Charlie Blackmon (broken hand), right fielder Kris Bryant (left foot injury), first baseman C.J. Cron (lower back) and second baseman Brendan Rodgers (left shoulder surgery).
The injuries have forced the Rockies to call up numerous position players and pitchers.
“This is the school of hard knocks, this is the major leagues,” manager Bud Black said Tuesday night. “A number of guys are going through it. They are living it. You look at the number of players on our team with less than a year of service time or less than two years of service time. They are living what it’s like to be in the big leagues.
“They will only get better for it. And the ones who pass these tests long-term will survive, and the ones who don’t will go by the wayside.”
The Rockies finally have an off day on Thursday after a 10-day road trip. Wednesday marked the 16th consecutive day Colorado played a game and it has played 33 games in the last 34 days.
“We’re beat up, physically and mentally,” Seabold said. “We need to get a win today and then go and enjoy our off day. It’s not an excuse for how we are doing, but we have played a lot of games in a row.”
Pitching probables
The Rockies are off on Thursday
Friday: Angels LHP Patrick Sandoval (4-6, 4.08 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-8, 4.48), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
Saturday: Angels RHP Griffin Canning (5-2, 4.40) at Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-1, 4.12), 7:10 p.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Angels TBA at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (4-7, 7.25), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
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