Chase

Dollander

Dollander is facing an extended absence despite undergoing a less invasive procedure than a full Tommy John ligament replacement, which typically carries a 12-18 month return timeline. The 24-year-old burgeoning Rockies ace was off to a phenomenal start with a pristine 3.89 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 47/18 K/BB ratio across 44 innings prior to hitting the shelf with an elbow strain back in mid-May. Fantasy managers shouldn’t anticipate him back until some point in the 2027 campaign.

Whether that winds up being the full Tommy John surgery or a less invasive internal brace procedure remains to be seen, but it sounds like we have seen the last of Dollander for this season. He still has an appointment on the books in the coming days in which that decision will likely be made. He shouldn’t be expected back until the second half of the 2027 season.

Nothing has changed in the prognosis for the 24-year-old hurler, who still has yet to resume throwing, this was done as a procedural move to clear a spot on the club’s 40-man roster for Sean Sullivan. There’s still no clear timeline for when Dollander may be able to return.

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.