The Rockies’ pitching depth is being tested early in spring training.
Left-hander Austin Gomber, a likely member of the starting rotation, was scratched from his Cactus League start against Seattle on Sunday because of shoulder woes, and right-handed reliever Jeff Criswell is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on March 14 and is out for the season.
Gomber, 31, asked manager Bud Black to scratch him from Sunday’s start because of reduced fastball velocity, according to MLB.com. Gomber was scheduled to pitch three innings.
A shoulder exam did not reveal a significant injury, but Gomber’s peak fastball velocity in his Feb. 25 start against the White Sox was only 89.2 mph. His average fastball velocity last season was 90.4 p.m. and he hit 93.7 mph in a game last April. Gomber, acquired from St. Louis in 2021 as part of the Nolan Arenado trade, went 4-12 with a 4.75 ERA in 30 starts last season.
Black said there’s no urgency to get Gomber back onto the mound.
“There’s no timetable on his return, but we’re going to make sure that he’s healthy and not try to rush it,” Black told MLB.com. “He understands that it’s March 2, and this (season) is going to go all the way to October. So let’s not push it too early.”
Criswell, who turns 26 on March 10, was acquired from the Athletics in December 2022. He made his major league debut on Aug. 21. Last season, he went 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA in 13 appearances. He was competing for a spot in the bullpen.
“It was real stuff,” Black said. “Good life on his fastball, a good curveball and feel for the change. “You can make a point that he pitched better in the big leagues than he did in Triple-A (last season). That’s a bummer because we felt good about where he was at.”
Criswell’s elbow injury and the Rockies’ decision to place struggling right-hander Justin Lawrence on waivers Saturday opens an opportunity for a prospect to make the team.
Roster moves. The Rockies assigned right-hander Tommy Doyle, lefty Sean Sullivan and catchers Bryant Betancourt and Ronaiker Palma to minor league camp on Sunday.
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