This isn’t what you want to hear with the start of the season just one week away. According to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was forced to exit last night’s Cactus League game against the Padres after he felt soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee.
Gonzalez, who had season-ending surgery last August, aggravated the knee when he caught a fly ball off the bat of Will Middlebrooks in the third inning. He stayed in for his next at-bat before being removed from the game.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss decided to play it safe, but Gonzalez doesn’t think it’s anything major and said it was “just a little fatigue.” He’ll be re-evaluated today.
Gonzalez has played well this spring, hitting .333 (9-for-27) with three doubles in 11 games. However, keeping him healthy is an ongoing concern for the Rockies. The 29-year-old has averaged just 110 games played over the past four seasons.