Chase

Dollander

Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said earlier this month that Dollander would be shut down for 2-3 weeks before being cleared to start a throwing progression. The 24-year-old former top pitching prospect was in the midst of a legitimate breakthrough campaign before hitting the injured list with an elbow strain back on May 15. There should be a definitive return timeline once he resumes throwing, but fantasy managers probably shouldn’t expect him back until after the All-Star break in mid-July.

The Rockies didn’t provide a new diagnosis after the tests on Dollander’s elbow, but obviously it was pretty good news if he’s going to be allowed to resume throwing in the first half of June. Dollander was placed on the IL on Friday with what was termed a strain.

We still haven’t heard word on the results of his MRI exam and how much time the 24-year-old right-hander may stand to miss. Sammy Peralta was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move to add a fresh arm to the Rockies’ bullpen while they figure out how to handle Dollander’s spot in the rotation.

When asked whether or not he thought that Dollander experienced a drop in velocity during the outing, he simply said, “maybe”. Expect Dollander to undergo a full MRI to determine exactly what’s going on there. It would be surprising if he didn’t wind up on the injured list before the weekend is through.

Dollander shook his throwing arm out a bit after a second-inning walk, talked to the manager and training staff, then departed. He allowed three runs in the first inning, though one of them came because the Rockies botched what should have been a routine flyout to left field, and didn’t strike out any before leaving. The Rockies should update his status in the near future, but it didn’t look good.

Dollander’s velocity was down by about one mph tonight, and he wound up with only eight whiffs and a 22 percent CSW. He also walked five. He was quite effective anyway, but it might have been his most discouraging outing of the season. He’ll pitch in Pittsburgh next time out.

Dollander worked as the bulk hurler Saturday, and he was fortunate that Brennan Bernardino gave up a pair of runs so he doesn’t get the loss. That’s not to say he was good, as he gave up eight hits and three walks while striking out three. It’s disappointing after his impressive previous pair of outings, but these things happen; especially for 24-year-olds. He’ll likely face the Phillies on Friday.

Colorado will have veteran reliever Brennan Bernardino face the left-handed heavy top of Atlanta’s lineup before turning things over to Dollander for a bulk outing. The 24-year-old former top pitching prospect has missed a ton of bats this season and has emerged as a viable mixed-league option, even when he takes the ball in Coors Field’s high-octane offensive environment.

Impressive, even when you consider how bad the Mets have been to begin 2026. Dollander allowed only five hits, and he walked two against the aforementioned seven punchouts. He’s allowed just one run over his last 16 innings, and he’s reminded why so many were so high on Dollander coming out of the 2023 draft class. It’s very hard to imagine the 24-year-old is heading to the bullpen anytime soon, and he’ll be worth consideration against Atlanta over the weekend.

Jimmy Herget opened the game by striking out the side in the first inning. Dollander then took over in the second and was cruising, allowing just one baserunner over four scoreless innings. He finally ran into some trouble in the sixth, issuing a bases-loaded walk before escaping the jam. Dollander returned for the seventh and tossed a scoreless frame to end an excellent day on the mound. He threw 67 of 102 pitches for strikes and generated 15 whiffs to strike out nine. The 24-year-old right-hander will take a 2.88 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 32/7 K/BB ratio across 25 innings into a matchup against a struggling Mets team in New York on Sunday.