The native son returns! The Rockies announced that Kyle Freeland has officially been reinstated from the injured list and he will start this evening against Jacob deGrom and the Mets.
Freeland, 28, went down with a nasty-looking shoulder injury on March 23 in a spring training start against the Oakland A’s. After throwing a pitch, he doubled over in pain and grabbed at his left arm — never a good sign for a baseball pitcher. Luckily, an MRI confirmed that it was indeed just a strain and nothing more serious.
After an abysmal 2019 (3-11, 6.73 ERA) to follow up his fourth-place Cy Young finish in 2018 (17-7, 2.85 ERA), Freeland was able to bounce back in 2020. He started 13 games and posted a 2-3 record with a 4.33 ERA in 70 2⁄3 innings — third best behind Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela.
Prior to activating the lefty starter, the Rockies optioned their only lefty reliever — fellow Denver-native Lucas Gilbreath (0-0, 8.59 ERA) — to Triple-A Albuquerque. In eight appearances in 2021, Gilbreath has allowed seven runs (including three home runs) on 10 hits, struck out seven and walked three in 7 1⁄3 innings.