DENVER -- The Rockies suffered a major blow Tuesday when they learned that Opening Day starting pitcher Germ¨¢n M¨¢rquez will need Tommy John surgery, forcing him out of the rotation and off the field for the rest of 2023 and likely well into next season.

M¨¢rquez broke the news himself Tuesday. Currently on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, M¨¢rquez underwent a follow-up MRI on Monday. The news of his surgery was confirmed by general manager Bill Schmidt and manager Bud Black.

¡°This morning I talked to [head athletic trainer] Keith [Dugger], and he indicated that they¡¯d compiled all the results of all the testing that's been done the last three or four days, and it looks as though this was going to be headed towards surgery,¡± manager Bud Black said. ¡°The ligament was damaged. I heard this morning. I was hoping for the best, but you know, instinctively, I knew this one didn¡¯t feel good.¡±

The 28-year-old right-hander left his past two starts with pain in his right arm, including exiting after 3 2/3 innings on April 26 against the Guardians. His immediate diagnosis was a triceps issue, but a follow-up exam the following day revealed the elbow issue. Tests after his first exit from a game on April 10 showed no ligament damage, but new tests after the start vs. Cleveland showed significant damage, according to Black.

¡°I was told they were different,¡± general manager Bill Schmidt. ¡°The second one was the one that supposedly [caused the damage].¡±

M¨¢rquez went 2-2 with a 4.95 ERA in four starts this year. Black liked what he¡¯d seen from M¨¢rquez and was expecting a big year from him. The timing is particularly bad for M¨¢rquez, who is in the final year of his contract, with the Rockies holding an option for 2024.

¡°We feel bad for him,¡± Schmidt said. ¡°He's a quality person. We'll be here to support him as he goes through the process of rehab.¡±

Asked if he hoped to see M¨¢rquez pitch in a Rockies uniform again, given the timing of his injury during a contract year, Black was optimistic.

¡°I hope, yeah, for me -- I think all of us want to [see him back],¡± Black said. ¡°I can't speak for him, but I think he does, too. Who wouldn¡¯t want him?¡±

The loss of M¨¢rquez will have a big impact on a Colorado pitching staff whose 5.36 ERA ranked 27th in the Majors and last in the National League entering Tuesday. The righty has been a reliable arm for the Rockies, pitching 160 or more innings in five of the past six seasons and leading the National League with 81 2/3 innings pitched in the shortened 2020 season.

M¨¢rquez struck out four batters in Cleveland to bring him within two of Jorge De La Rosa¡¯s club-record 985 career strikeouts. M¨¢rquez is also third in club history with 65 career wins and is one road win shy of Aaron Cook¡¯s record of 36. He was an All-Star in 2021, one of only five Rockies starters to earn the honor.

¡°We¡¯ll look internally to fill [his position], and we'll look externally and see what we can do to help patch it,¡± Schmidt said. ¡°You don't lose a guy like him and go out right away; those aren¡¯t easy to get at this time of year.¡±

For now, the Rockies have Kyle Freeland scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Connor Seabold moving from his long role in the ¡®pen to start the series finale Thursday. Antonio Senzatela is expected to return from the injured list on Friday in New York, followed by Austin Gomber and Ryan Feltner.

¡°[Our depth is] taking a hit for sure with Germ¨¢n and [Noah] Davis,¡± Black said. "We have to fortify that a little bit. I'm sure our organization, our front office, will be out there looking for some additional help that makes sense.¡±

Seabold has a history of starting in the Red Sox's organization and was slated to start in Triple-A Albuquerque to begin the season, but the Rockies needed his length in the bullpen. He threw 60 pitches his last time out and should be good for 75-80 pitches Thursday.

Black said Senzatela is on track for 80-90 pitches Friday and has been looking and feeling good as his rehab wraps up. He has not pitched in a Major League game since Aug. 18, 2022, when he tore his left ACL.