Rox pitching depth tested: Gomber scratched, Criswell needs TJ

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Reporting low arm speed and less-than-prime health in his left shoulder, Rockies pitcher Austin Gomber asked to be scratched from his scheduled appearance on Sunday against the Mariners at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

There is no timetable on when Gomber would resume Spring Training appearances, but being ready to pitch through a full season is the main goal, more than the Cactus League or Opening Day.

In other injury news, the Rockies announced that right-handed pitcher Jeff Criswell will undergo Tommy John surgery. Dr. Keith Meister, the Rangers¡¯ team physician and a noted surgeon who has operated on pitchers throughout the game, will perform the surgery on March 14.

Gomber was scheduled to make his second Cactus League appearance for three innings on Sunday, behind right-hander Germ¨¢n M¨¢rquez¡¯s three innings. But in Gomber¡¯s first performance, on Feb. 25 against the White Sox, the top speed on his fastball was 89.2 mph, and that was on his final pitch. His four-seam fastball averaged 90.4 mph in 2024, topping out at 93.7 in a game vs. the Astros in April.

Early Spring Training velocities aren¡¯t alarming in and of themselves, but Gomber, 31, knows how he should feel.

¡°The longer you play, the more you become in tune with your body,¡± Gomber said. ¡°Maybe I would have tried to push it a little bit more if we were in a different spot on the calendar. But it being so early in the year, I just felt like I wanted to take a few days to try to get a touch better and not have something that's like nagging throughout the year. So now was a good time to kind of get a good reset.¡±

Checkups have not revealed an extensive injury, so there is time to take a careful approach.

¡°There¡¯s no timetable on his return, but we¡¯re going to make sure that he¡¯s healthy and not try to rush it,¡± Rockies manager Bud Black said. ¡°He understands that it¡¯s March 2, and this [season] is going to go all the way to October. So let¡¯s not push it too early.¡±

Gomber experienced a breakthrough in 2024 in terms of availability. Two of his previous three seasons with the Rockies ended early because of back injuries, and he was moved to the bullpen in the other. But last year he set career highs in starts (30), innings pitched (165) and strikeouts (116), while tying a career high in quality starts (12).

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Gomber¡¯s plan is to stay healthy and be part of a veteran rotation that had its injury issues last year. Lefty Kyle Freeland missed 9 1/2 weeks with a left elbow strain, but finished strong; M¨¢rquez and right-hander Antonio Senzatela both pitched minimally while recovering from Tommy John surgeries performed in 2023; and righty Ryan Feltner, the healthiest of the crew, did a 15-day injured list stint with right shoulder inflammation in August.

The Rockies believe that health from the rotation is their best chance to begin reversing the performances of the last two seasons, each of which finished with over 100 losses. But there are also signs of improved depth.

MLB Pipeline No. 25 prospect Chase Dollander, a right-hander drafted out of Tennessee ninth overall in 2023, is receiving a long look this spring. Righty Bradley Blalock, who debuted last season, has struck out seven in four innings this spring, and righty Tanner Gordon, who also had his first Major League action last year, has thrown a scoreless 1 2/3 innings.

Lefty Carson Palmquist, who finished last season as the Rockies¡¯ No. 14 prospect after a strong season at Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, missed some early time on bereavement leave but will pitch in a Minor League game on Wednesday and will receive Cactus League action later this spring. Non-roster veteran Jake Woodford has had two strong relief appearances and can compete in the bullpen or the rotation.

¡°There¡¯s certainly more talent than there has been the past couple of years -- there¡¯s no denying that,¡± Gomber said. ¡°It¡¯s exciting to be a part of a group that has a chance to do a little bit more than we¡¯ve done the last few years.¡±

Criswell, who turns 26 on March 10, acquired from the Athletics in December 2022, converted to relief last season and debuted in the Majors by going 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA in 13 late-season appearances. He was competing for a bullpen job this spring.

¡°It was real stuff -- good life on his fastball, a good curveball and [a] feel for the change,¡± Black said. ¡°You can make a point that he pitched better in the big leagues than he did in Triple-A. That¡¯s a bummer because we felt good about where he was at.¡±