Bouchard facing surgery for ruptured bicep tendon
Rockies corner outfielder Sean Bouchard, on a path to get extensive playing time this season, has sustained a major injury that could end his season.
Bouchard was diagnosed with a left distal biceps rupture on Thursday and the injury will require surgery, according to Mlb.com. The injury is to his non-throwing arm.
The Rockies are holding out hope that the ruptured biceps won’t end Bouchard’s season, but the club has not provided a timeline for his possible return.
Injuries have slammed the Rockies in spring training. Starting second baseman Brendan Rodgers sustained a dislocated left shoulder last week that will require surgery and will likely cost him the season, and left-hander reliever Lucas Gilbreath will undergo Tommy John surgery next week and is out for the season.
Veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk, penciled in as the starting center fielder, underwent bilateral sports hernia surgery early in camp. Grichuk remains about 10 days away from appearing in a Cactus League game and he’s likely to begin the regular season on the 10- day injured list.
Bouchard left Wednesday’s Cactus League game with an arm injury sustained during a first-inning at-bat. He underwent an MRI Thursday morning and the test revealed the rupture.
Bouchard, 26, made a positive impression in his major-league debut last season, posting a .297/.454/.500 slash line in 97 plate appearances. He hit three home runs and six doubles while walking 21 times.
His performance opened the way for the Rockies to trade Connor Joe to Pittsburgh for right- handing pitching prospect Nick Garcia. Bouchard was expected to start in left field this season after the Rockies made the decision to move Kris Bryant to right field.
Bouchard’s injury opens a possible roster spot for two prospects, outfielder Brenton Doyle and first baseman/outfielder Michael Toglia, as well as Nolan Jones, who was acquired from Cleveland.
Also, veteran utility player Harold Castro, in camp on a minor-league deal, has enjoyed a solid spring camp, hitting .476, and now appears to be a lock for the 26-man roster. Castro, who played center field in his native Venezuela, might be an option as the Rockies’ center fielder on opening day, with Yonathan Daza starting in left.
“He’s played a lot of positions and he’s played pretty much everywhere,” manager Bud Black told reporters Thursday at the Rockies’ complex in Scottsdale, Ariz. “I think he’s fine (in the outfield), from what we have seen, and our scouting reports say the same thing. With Castro, we don’t lose a lot on defense with the guys that we have presently in the mix to make the team.”
Asked about Castro’s ability to play center, Black said, “It’s something that we’ll have to see in (Coors Field), but our evaluation of him in center would be pretty similar to what we have seen the last couple of years here.”