The Kris Bryant Experiment continues to yield negative results.
Bryant is headed to the 10-day injured list, the Rockies announced on Monday, due to lumbar degenerative disc disease. It’s the latest in a series of injuries that have plagued the underperforming Bryant since he signed with the Rockies on a seven-year, $182 million contract ahead of the 2022 season.
In 11 games this season, Bryant is hitting .154 with no homers in 41 plate appearances as he continues to struggle offensively. In a corresponding roster move, the Rockies selected the contract of catcher Braxton Fulford from Triple-A. They also transferred right-hander Jeff Criswell, who had Tommy John surgery during spring training, to the 60-day injured list.
The Bryant move is retroactive to Sunday. This is not the first time that Bryant has landed on the IL due to back issues. He’s dealt with chronic disc and arthritis problems in his lower back over the past few seasons, becoming a shell of his former MVP self that he was as a slugger with the Cubs. He has played just 170 games across his four seasons in Colorado, with only 17 homers and a -1.6 total WAR.
Bryant is Colorado’s highest-paid player this season with a $27 million salary. He has yet to appear in the field in 2025, with all 10 of his starts coming at designated hitter.
In the offseason, Bryant told The Denver Post that he was “at peace” with the progress he was experiencing in his quest to get healthy entering 2025. But that quest clearly hit another roadblock early in this season, continuing the trend of unavailability that’s underscored his time with the club over the last three years. So far in his Rockies tenure, he’s only played in about one-third of the club’s games.
Originally signed as an outfielder and first baseman, since last year, Bryant’s primarily been the team’s DH. The emergence of Michael Toglia as the club’s everyday first baseman, in conjunction with Bryant’s back issues that have prevented him from playing the outfield — last April, he exacerbated his back problem when he crashed into the wall in Toronto while making a catch — all but erased any defensive value he previously had.
Rockies manager Bud Black said that he held Bryant out of some games so far, including the home opener against the Athletics on April 4 at Coors Field, to give the veteran time to get his swing right.
With Bryant back on the IL, Black told MLB.com on Monday at Dodger Stadium ahead of the series opener against Los Angeles that he expects Bryant to return to the club after 10 days, but that the training staff will need to continue to monitor Bryant’s back going forward.
“A lot of players, especially at this point in their career, have to manage certain things in their body,” Black said.
If the Rockies do decide at some point to cut Bryant, they would owe him the rest of his guaranteed contract, which has three years and $81 million left on it following the 2025 season.
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