Rockies Lefty Done For The Season

A promising left-handed reliever has thrown his last pitch this season for the Colorado Rockies, as Lucas Gilbreath has been shut down. 

#Rockies Lucas Gilbreath is out for the year. Left elbow. PRP injection this week.

— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) September 5, 2022

The 26-year-old is in his 2nd year with the Rockies, and had been showing some late-inning, high-leverage effectiveness, as per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. But Gilbreath went on the IL on Aug. 28th with a left elbow flexor strain. He is expected to get a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection this week, says Saunders. 

Manager Bud Black hopes the procedure will help in Gilbreath's recovery. "That should help the healing process. He will not come back this season. He’s done for the year," said Black. Although MRI results did not reveal the need for surgery, it's become apparent, especially with the PRP injection, that there is simply not enough time for Gilbreath to recover and return to game action before the end of the season.

Gilbreath finishes the year with a 4.19 ERA, though a bit of an unsightly 1.46 WHIP. That was due to a base-on-balls issue, as the lefty walked 5.4 batters per nine innings. His 10.3 K/9, however, showed some promise. 

During one stretch of the season, he established himself as a premier lefty out of the Rockies 'pen, when, from May 14 to July 22,  and had an 0.64 ERA with a 34:13 K/BB ratio, surrendering an earned run just twice in 28 outings over that stretch. 

Photos:  Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports, Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports