Rockies place Kris Bryant on injured list with finger fracture

The Rockies placed Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 22, because of a fractured left index finger. Colorado also optioned Karl Kauffmann to Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled Elehuris Montero and Riley Pint.

Bryant’s frustrating second season in Colorado continues. He lost a month earlier in the year to a bruised left heel, the same foot that ended his 2022 campaign just after the All-Star Break because of plantar fasciitis. The latest injury was more of a fluke occurrence. Bryant was hit on the hand by a Braxton Garrett pitch last Friday. He’ll apparently need at least another week to recover.

The former MVP is hitting .251/.338/.379 with eight homers through 275 plate appearances. He owns a .273/.353/.417 line since signing with Colorado on a seven-year free-agent deal. The Rox will obviously hope he can finish the season healthy to build some momentum going into 2024.

While there’s no question Bryant will be on the roster past the August 1 deadline, first baseman C.J. Cron is a potential trade candidate. An impending free agent, Cron started slowly but has raked at a .317/.349/.600 clip in 17 games since returning from an injured list stint last month. Back troubles had kept him on the shelf for six weeks. He’s again dealing with some stiffness in his lower back, he told Thomas Harding of MLB.com (Twitter link). He’s expected to miss the next couple of games but hopes to return to the lineup on Friday. An injured list stint might ensure he stays in Colorado, but it seems he’ll avoid the IL for now.