Rockies place Kyle Freeland on injured list with pinched nerve

The Colorado Rockies placed left-handed starting pitcher Kyle Freeland on the 15-day injured list Monday because of a pinched nerve, the team announced. The move was made retroactive to Aug. 21.

Freeland left his start Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers after 3⅔ innings when he felt pain traveling from his neck down to his fingers. The Denver native, 33, exited after two outs in the fourth inning with what the team described as "neck tightness."

Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said Freeland felt better Thursday, and the team’s initial plan was to avoid an injured-list stint. But that changed after a throwing session.

"He went to throw a bullpen yesterday, and it didn’t go well," Schaeffer said. "Shoulder didn’t feel right, so we have to put him on the IL."

Freeland, who was selected by Colorado with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2014 MLB amateur draft, has struggled this season. He is 4-10 with a 6.37 ERA in 23 starts. He leads the Rockies in strikeouts (103) and innings pitched (124⅓).

Freeland is in the final year of a five-year, $64.5 million extension he signed in 2022. His contract includes a $17 million vesting player option for the 2027 season if he reaches 170 innings this year. In his 10 seasons with the Rockies, he reached that threshold only twice.

This is the second time Freeland has been on the injured list this season; he had a stint in April due to left shoulder inflammation.

To fill Freeland’s roster spot, the Rockies selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Blake Adams from Triple-A Albuquerque. Adams, 25, has a 2-5 record with an 8.10 ERA in 17 appearances for Albuquerque this year.