The Rockies made a couple roster moves before today’s game with the Nationals, according to Thomas Harding. First, Greg Holland is back from his 72 hour paternity leave, as expected. Additionally, Raimel Tapia, who joined the club in Washington yesterday, has been officially called up to the major-league club.
Two corresponding moves make room for Holland and Tapia on the big league roster. First, the Rockies optioned Carlos Estévez back to Albuquerque. Estévez didn’t get into a game since he was last called up on July 25. The other move should wrap up a years-long relationship. The Rockies have designated Jordan Lyles for assignment. He’s now off the 25-man active roster, as well as the 40-man roster.
The Rockies acquired Lyles along with Brandon Barnes in exchange for Dexter Fowler prior to the 2014 season. Lyles had a good first season with the Rockies in 2014. He posted a 4.33 ERA and a 4.22 FIP, which was good for a 98 ERA+, in 22 starts and 1262⁄3 innings. He missed most of June and all of July that season with a broken hand. But when Lyles did pitch, he looked like someone who can contribute at the back-end of the rotation.
Lyles lost time due to injury the following year as well. In 2015 he suffered a toe injury that only allowed him to pitch 49 innings. Lyles was finally healthy over the course of a full season in 2016—but he still wasn’t very good. He spent most of last season and all of the 2017 season in the bullpen. Lyles’s biggest problem this year is home runs. He’s allowed 11 home runs out of the bullpen, which is tied for the most in baseball.
Lyles’s DFA means that he can be traded at any time over the next seven days. Otherwise, he will be passed through irrevocable waivers. If no one claims him he could be released; if that doesn’t happen, Lyles could remain in the Rockies’s organization by being outrighted to the minors, though he can reject that assignment due to the service time he’s accrued. If a team does claim him on waivers, they will accept the remainder of his contract for this season, and the Rockies would not be able to work out a trade for Lyles.