The Rockies are planning to position left-hander Austin Gomber on the 15-day injured checklist and choose the contract of right-hander Victor Vodnik from Triple-A Albuquerque, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Gomber hasn’t pitched since Aug. 28 after his final begin was scratched because of again discomfort. Stints on the injured checklist can solely be backdated as much as three days from the time of placement, so the IL stint will presumably be retroactive to Sept. 5.
A timetable for Gomber, 29, isn’t but clear. He’s tied with fellow southpaw Kyle Freeland for the crew lead with 27 begins, although each pitchers have ERAs north of 5.00 — 5.50, in Gomber’s case. This 12 months’s 139 innings symbolize a brand new career-high on the MLB stage for Gomber, who presently has a 14.4% strikeout fee, 7.1% stroll fee, 41.6% ground-ball fee and 1.68 HR/9.
Whereas Gomber’s numbers on the 12 months don’t stand out, he’s steadily improved because the 2023 marketing campaign has progressed. The lefty was rocked for 22 runs in his first 4 begins this 12 months and struggled for a lot of the season’s first two months. Since June 14, nonetheless, he touts a much more palatable 3.91 ERA in 78 1/3 frames. His 14.8% strikeout fee in that point remains to be one of many lowest in baseball, however his 4.9% stroll fee is great and Gomber has considerably tamped down his house run points throughout this stretch as effectively (1.15 HR/9). The Rockies can management him for an additional two seasons by way of arbitration.
As for Vodnik, he’ll be in line for his Main League debut. The flamethrowing 23-year-old went from Atlanta to Colorado within the deadline swap that despatched righty Pierce Johnson to the Braves. He’s pitched 53 2/3 innings this season between Double-A and Triple-A, working to a mixed 3.35 earned run common with a hefty 29.9% strikeout fee in opposition to a extra troubling 13.4% stroll fee. Vodnik reaches triple digits together with his heater, and scouting stories at FanGraphs, MLB.com and Baseball America all credit score him with a plus changeup that helps him induce weak contact on the bottom. Command points are a priority, and BA’s scouting report notes that he’ll at instances tip his changeup, thereby undercutting the pitch’s effectiveness.
Vodnik just isn’t but on Colorado’s 40-man roster, so the Rox might want to make a transfer to create house. If the Rockies don’t imagine Gomber will return this 12 months, he could possibly be positioned instantly on the 60-day IL. Kris Bryant, presently on the 10-day IL, has already missed 47 days and could possibly be one other 60-day IL possibility, relying on his personal outlook. The Rox have additionally already handed Cole Tucker by way of waivers as soon as this season, and he was solely chosen again to the MLB roster a pair days in the past.
