The Colorado Rockies have more good news about the health one of their All-Star players on top of the report about outfielder Carlos Gonzalez taking swings earlier this week. As for other injured players, starter Johan Santana is expected to pitch again in Venezuela.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki underwent season-ending hip surgery in August after spending an extended period of time on the disabled list with a strained left hip flexor that ended up being a labrum injury. The surgery repaired the damaged labrum and he's been rehabbing in the offseason to get back to where he was in 2014 (.340/.432/.603 stat line with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs in 91 games).
According to general manager Jeff Bridich, the four-time All-Star is "starting to ramp up the pure baseball activity." Tulowitzki was in Denver last week undergoing a routine checkup on his hip and the progress he's made since the operation. Bridich added that the 30-year-old is "taking full practice in the batting cage, and this week he's starting to add taking ground balls in the infield."
Although this is excellent news, the Rockies still need the oft-injured shortstop to stay healthy in 2015 if they want to compete. Tulowitzki has played in only 264 games over the past three seasons (an average of 88 per year) due to a myriad of health issues and has averaged only 106 games per season in his nine-year MLB career. There's no doubting his talent, but there's little use for a player that is stuck on the bench.
Earlier in the offseason, Bridich said he would entertain trade talks for both Tulowitzki and Gonzalez, but nothing has come close to getting done.
Speaking of players who are often injured, starter Johan Santana has been attempted a comeback for the past three seasons as he's struggled with shoulder surgeries and a torn Achilles tendon. His latest comeback looked as if it would be hitting another major obstacle after he was "ruled out" for the remainder of the playoffs in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League with a sore left shoulder.
However, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported earlier today that the left-hander is "throwing a bullpen session today and is tentatively scheduled to pitch game 5 of the finals on Thursday for [the Navegantes de] Magallanes." Santana previously tossed two perfect innings for the Magallanes last Tuesday, but was then scratched from his Sunday start and this Thursday's start because of the bothersome shoulder.
He received an MRI on the affected area and there was no structural damage, so, barring a significant setback, it seems as if he'll continue his comeback attempt. Santana underwent two shoulder surgeries within 31 months of each other (between 2010 and 2013) and tore his Achilles last June. It's possible he's simply experiencing soreness from being inactive for so long.
There are at least six teams interested in signing him for next season, so we'll be keeping up with his progress.
