The Colorado Rockies announced on Monday that right hander Jhoulys Chacin has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to June 29. Chacin had an MRI in Denver on Monday afternoon where the diagnosis was made. Chacin becomes the seventh Rockies pitcher on the disabled list and tenth player overall.
Chacin (1-7, 5.40) considered the Rockies ace as they entered 2014, began the season on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. He returned to the rotation with a start against the New York Mets on May 4 . Chacin was never able to regain his original arm motion or velocity in his 11 starts this season.
"He's feeling a little worse," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "It's been tougher for him to pitch through that. Early on, it felt like there was some rust there and it took him a couple innings to get loose.
"Now it doesn't feel as good in between starts, so he's having to alter his throwing program. This happened the last couple of starts. It's escalated to the point where we needed to do something about it."
Franklin Morales (4-4, 5.75) will get the start in place of Chacin on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Morales was a starter earlier in the season before being moved into the bullpen following several poor outings.
"I just pitch, man," Morales said. "I'll pitch wherever they want me."
The promising start that the Rockies had to their season in which they were playing above .500 and challenging the San Francisco Giants and Dodgers in the division began to fade away at the start of June as injuries to the pitching staff and All-Stars like Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer mounted.
With the addition of Chacin, the disabled list now contains four-fifths of the Rockies starting rotation (Brett Anderson, Jordan Lyles, Tyler Chatwood), two prospects called up to replace the injured starters (Christian Bergman and Eddie Butler), Gonzalez, Cuddyer, potential All-Star Nolan Arenado, and reliever Boone Logan who was a key costless agent acquisition from the New York Yankees.
The Rockies do have some good news on the injury front as Arenado and Logan are currently on rehab assignments in Colorado Springs with the Triple-A Sky Sox. Anderson is due in Colorado Springs on Monday to begin his rehab play.
With Morales once again starting the Rockies now have an all left hander rotation featuring Jorge De La Rosa, Tyler Matzek, Christian Friedrich, and Yohan Flande. De La Rosa is the only one remaining from the original five starters that the Rockies envisioned going into the season with.
"When your pitching gets tested, injury-wise, that's always a challenge," Weiss said. "It's easier to overcome injuries to your position players than it is to your pitching depth."
The Rockies called up reliever Chad Bettis from Triple-A Colorado Springs to take the place of Chacin on the roster.
"I feel fresh. I'm ready to go," Bettis said.
The Rockies are currently in Washington for a three-game series against the Nationals.