The Rockies are a more interesting team than their record implies — a grittier, younger group under manager Warren Schaeffer, already 14 wins ahead of their pace from last year's historically awful campaign. Hunter Goodman has become one of the better power-hitting catchers in baseball with 21 home runs. Cole Carrigg, a 24-year-old promoted in early June, is hitting .271 with 3 homers since his call-up. Ezequiel Tovar anchors the middle infield. None of this makes them a playoff contender, but it means they won't just hand Minnesota a series. The main drag is the pitching staff, which carries the highest team ERA in all of baseball — and that was before Chase Dollander went under the knife for an internal brace procedure on his elbow.
- Day-To-DayBrayan Castillo (RP) — The Rockies announced Monday that Castillo is dealing with right lat tightness and has been shut down from throwing while undergoing treatment for the injury, TheDNVR.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayCase Williams (SP) — Williams is currently slowed by a stress reaction in his right triceps, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayJared Thomas (CF) — The Rockies announced Monday that Thomas hasn't been participating in spring training while he recovers from offseason surgery to address a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist, TheDNVR.com reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILBrenton Doyle (CF) — Doyle (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.06/22
- 10-Day-ILJordan Beck (LF) — Beck (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.06/22
- 15-Day-ILJaden Hill (RP) — The Rockies placed Hill on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right shoulder tendinitis.06/24
- 15-Day-ILTanner Gordon (RP) — Gordon (hip) is slated to make a rehab start with Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday, MLB.com reports.06/23
- 15-Day-ILBlas Castano (RP) — Castano was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday.06/21
- 60-Day-ILChase Dollander (SP) — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.06/23
- 60-Day-ILWelinton Herrera (RP) — Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer announced Monday that Herrera (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL and will miss the remainder of the season, Jack Janes of MLB.com reports.06/02
- 60-Day-ILMcCade Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) had been scheduled to throw a live bullpen session this weekend, MLB.com reports.06/01
- 60-Day-ILJose Quintana (SP) — The Rockies placed Quintana on the 15-day injured list Monday with a left elbow sprain.05/28
- 60-Day-ILRJ Petit (RP) — The Rockies transferred Petit (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILPierson Ohl (RP) — The Rockies placed Ohl (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILKris Bryant (DH) — Bryant said Tuesday that the ongoing pain in his back continues to prevent him from participating in baseball activities, though he's still consulting with doctors and trainers for potential rehab options, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayKaelen Culpepper (SS) — Culpepper was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday with a left hip strain, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.06/16
- Day-To-DayRicardo Olivar (C) — Triple-A St. Paul transferred Olivar from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day IL on June 4 while he recovers from a right knee sprain, Twins writer Brandon Warne reports.06/16
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather (RP) — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino (SP) — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILRyan Jeffers (C) — Jeffers (hand) was spotted taking swings in the batting cage and catching a bullpen session Monday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.06/23
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel (SP) — Abel will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.06/24
- 15-Day-ILBailey Ober (SP) — Ober (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday of approximately 40 pitches, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.06/23
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands (RP) — Sands underwent an MRI on Friday that showed healing in his injured forearm, though inflammation was still present, MLB.com reports.06/16
- 60-Day-ILGarrett Acton (RP) — Acton (shoulder) resumed throwing off a mound last week, MLB.com reports.06/18
- 60-Day-ILDavid Festa (SP) — The Twins announced June 1 that Festa (shoulder) has started a throwing progression, MLB.com reports.06/11
- 60-Day-ILPablo Lopez (SP) — The Twins placed Lopez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08
The injury report on both sides is long, but Colorado's is particularly grim — Dollander (60-day IL, elbow), Kris Bryant (60-day IL, back), Brenton Doyle (oblique, rehab), Jordan Beck (hamstring, rehab), and Welinton Herrera (torn UCL, done for the year) are all unavailable. Minnesota is also short-handed with Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober still out and Ryan Jeffers sidelined by a hand injury — though Victor Caratini has stepped into the catching role and posted a .906 OPS in that time. The Twins' rotation depth is thin, which makes Bradley's performance tonight genuinely important.
The factor that makes this game interesting is Sugano himself. He's a contact manager and command pitcher, not a swing-and-miss arm, and Minnesota's lineup is capable of working at-bats. But Sugano didn't walk a single batter in his last outing and has lived in the strike zone all season. Bradley's raw stuff — that 100 MPH fastball and a K/BB rate at career-best levels — gives the Twins the edge if lineups are healthy and both guys go 6. Colorado is notably worse away from Coors Field, where the altitude-inflated offense tends to deflate. In a close game, Bradley and the Twins' bullpen options at home make Minnesota the side to be on.