The Colorado Rockies suffered a blow to its starting rotation last month when they placed former Tennessee standout Chase Dollander on the 15-day IL after he suffered arm tightness in a start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 15.
But unfortunately, things are trending in the wrong direction for Dollander in his recovery. Dollander sought a second opinion after the lack of improvement with his arm and the second MRI showed UCL damage.
The Rockies placed Dollander on the 60-day IL over the weekend and things are trending towards the former SEC Pitcher of the Year undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery.
“[Dollander] is going for a pre-op appointment soon, within a week,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said Friday. “Then, possibly, it is looking like surgery on the UCL. It’s still not set in stone, but that’s the way it’s trending.”
After having a shaky rookie season in 2025, Dollander was having a breakout 2026 season before suffering the injury in mid May.
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Dollander posted a 3-3 record, 3.89 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 44 innings pitched. He was in the top 10 in strikeouts early in the season and currently sits at 47 this season.
The right-handed pitcher spent two years at Tennessee after transferring in from Georgia Southern. Dollander was the 2022 SEC Pitcher of the Year and posted a 17-6 record and 3.64 ERA in 168 innings pitched in his two seasons in Knoxville.
Colorado drafted Dollander with the No. 9 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and kept him in the minor leagues for one full season, where Dollander excelled and earned an invite to the Futures Game, before calling him up to the MLB roster early in the 2025 season.
The Rockies currently have a NL-worst 27-46 record and sit 19 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
