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Right-hander Jeff Criswell is slated to undergo Tommy John surgery, as announced by the Colorado Rockies. The procedure will sideline Criswell for the entirety of the 2025 season, with the injury’s timing casting uncertainty over at least the early part of his 2026 season as well. This setback marks a significant hurdle for the young pitcher, who has been working to establish himself in the major leagues.
Criswell, who turns 26 next week, debuted with the Rockies last season after being selected by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 2020 draft. In December 2022, he was traded to Colorado in exchange for reliever Chad Smith. Initially a starting pitcher, Criswell struggled in his first Triple-A season with the Rockies, posting a 7.51 ERA over 121 innings. This prompted a transition to the bullpen in 2024, where his performance showed mixed results but generally improved, offering some optimism before this latest injury.
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The Colorado Rockies have placed right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence on waivers, as reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, signaling a potential shift in the reliever’s career trajectory. Unlike a designation for assignment, this move allows Lawrence to remain with the Rockies, participating in workouts and spring training games while the waiver process unfolds. However, the decision is final—Lawrence’s placement on waivers is irrevocable, meaning that if another team claims him in the coming days, he’ll be donning a new uniform soon.
At 30 years old, Lawrence brings four partial MLB seasons of experience since his 2021 debut with Colorado, though his tenure has been a mixed bag. His initial stint in 2021 was rocky, and while 2022 saw a 5.70 ERA that painted an underwhelming picture, deeper metrics told a different story. With a 3.39 FIP, 3.54 xERA, and 3.63 SIERA, Lawrence’s underlying performance was hampered by a 63.7% strand rate and a bloated .350 BABIP, masking a solid 25.1% strikeout rate and a 50.8% groundball rate. These numbers highlight a pitcher with the raw tools to succeed as a reliable reliever, making him an intriguing option for any team looking to take a chance on his upside. Their MLB debuts will be separated by literal decades. Chase Dollander, a 23-year-old pitcher, made his Cactus League debut for the Colorado Rockies on Monday against the San Francisco Giants. The other starting pitcher in the game was Justin Verlander, who just turned 42 last week. Dollander was asked what it was like pitching against Verlander and had a funny, but completely true response about their age difference. "That was awesome. Somebody told me he debuted in 2005," said Dollander. "I was four years old at the time so that's pretty cool to be able to do that. Yeah, had a lot of fun." To be completely accurate, Dollander would have actually only been three and a half when Verlander made his MLB debut on July 4, 2005.
On Monday, Verlander, who is on a one-year, $15 million deal, gave up one run on one hit in two innings. Dollander, who will still have to be pitching in the 2040s if he wants to catch Verlander on MLB's all-time wins list, gave up one run and two hits in two innings and struck out three batters. Despite the age gap, both pitchers showed their talent on the mound, with Verlander displaying his veteran experience and Dollander demonstrating his potential as a rising star in the Rockies' rotation. The Colorado Rockies have outrighted infielder Aaron Schunk to Triple-A Albuquerque after he was designated for assignment to make room for newly signed left-handed reliever Scott Alexander. Schunk, who made his MLB debut in 2024, struggled at the plate with a .234 average and .595 OPS in 39 games. Despite his challenges in the majors, he has shown potential in the minors with a solid .291 average and .464 slugging percentage over the past two seasons.
Schunk's versatility in playing multiple infield positions makes him a valuable asset for the Rockies' minor league team. The Rockies hope that Schunk can refine his skills and potentially earn another shot at the major league level in the future. His journey reflects the challenges and opportunities that come with transitioning from the minors to the majors. |
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