Kris Bryant\u2019s return to the Rockies\u2019 active roster remains just a concept, but at least he\u2019s doing some limited baseball activities.<\/p>\n
The first baseman\/designated hitter, on the 60-day injured list with lumbar degenerative disc disease, has not played since April 12. He ran on the field for the first time Wednesday before the Rockies hosted the Giants at Coors Field, and he\u2019s been playing catch and taking dry swings in the batting cage.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s doing OK, but the running still gives me trouble because of the compression \u2026 puts me in some pain,\u201d the 33-year-old Bryant said. \u201cIt\u2019s a little bit of progress, and we\u2019re just trying to see where I\u2019m at. I\u2019m trying to stay positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer said there is no timetable for Bryant\u2019s return.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just doing exercises, with (physical therapy) and trying to get his body feeling right,\u201d Schaeffer said. \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s close to coming back. That\u2019s all I know.\u201d<\/p>\n
In April, Bryant talked at length about his chronic back condition and the physical and emotional effects it\u2019s had on him. However, the Rockies\u2019 highest-paid player \u2014 he\u2019s making $27 million this season \u2014 said he wasn\u2019t considering retiring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be on the field. I want to play the game,\u201d Bryant said at the time. \u201cI want to talk to doctors, see if there\u2019s anything else we can do. But I\u2019m not gonna give up.\u201d<\/p>\n
In May, Bryant traveled to Los Angeles to undergo an ablation procedure on his lower back. According to the Mayo Clinic,\u00a0nerve ablation is a procedure that destroys nerves in an area of pain. Destroying the nerves helps reduce or stop pain signals. It can sometimes help relieve long-term pain.<\/p>\n
Bryant signed a seven-year, $182 million contract just before the 2022 season. It\u2019s the largest free-agent contract for a position player in Rockies history. Bryant has played just 170 games across his four seasons in Colorado, with only 17 homers and a negative-1.6 total WAR. His list of injuries is long: plantar fasciitis, a bone bruise in his foot, a bruised heel, a broken finger, a lower rib contusion, as well as his chronic back problems.<\/p>\n
Gomber\u2019s return:\u00a0Left-hander Austin Gomber is nearing a return to the starting rotation. He pitched four innings Tuesday night in an injury rehab start for Triple-A Albuquerque, allowing one run on one hit, with five strikeouts and three walks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s close. I thought the outing was good,\u201d Schaeffer said. \u201cWe\u2019ll see what the next step is. We\u2019re not sure yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tuesday was Gomber\u2019s second rehab start. In his first, he cruised through four innings on 41 pitches for Double-A Hartford at Portland.<\/p>\n
Gomber, 31, experienced shoulder soreness during spring training and has yet to make a big-league start this season. He avoided arbitration during the offseason by agreeing to a one-year, $6.35 million contract. The lefty is eligible to become a free agent after this season, which makes him a potential trade candidate if he comes back and stays healthy.<\/p>\n