Colorado has poured on the roster changes today. Within hours of announcing the Matt Adams/Sam Hilliard swap (and Ashton Goudeau DFA), the Rockies have made an additional move in the bullpen.
Reliever Yency Almonte has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a contusion on his throwing hand, after pitching a mere third of an inning on Wednesday night. The Rockies have subsequently recalled right-hander Justin Lawrence from the alternate site.
Lawrence was a 12th round selection by the Rockies in 2015, working his way through Rockies affiliates and making his Triple-A debut in 2019. He was confined to the alternate site in 2020, but will now anticipate his big league debut in the coming days. Lawrence pitched 8 1⁄3 innings in the Cactus League this spring, posting a 2.16 ERA and 1.440 WHIP. He will wear number 61 with the big league club.
Almonte made his 11th appearance of the season on Wednesday night, and has posted a 12.46 ERA (8.28 FIP) this year in 8 2⁄3 innings of work. He was one of the top performers out of the Rockies bullpen in 2020, posting a 2.93 ERA in 27 2⁄3 innings. An injured hand was what slowed Carlos Estévez last year; it appears a similar injury is what has ailed Almonte in the first month of the 2021 season.