While awaiting diagnosis on Kyle Freeland¡¯s left shoulder injury, Rockies manager Bud Black said Chi Chi Gonz¨¢lez, Dereck Rodr¨ªguez and No. 2 prospect Ryan Rolison are in play for a season-opening rotation spot.

¡°We haven¡¯t made a decision on any of those fellows yet and what their role would be -- we have another eight or nine days to make that decision,¡± Black said.

Freeland sustained the injury on Tuesday against the Athletics. Imaging was scheduled for mid-morning Wednesday, with little to no hope that the injury won¡¯t cost him time.

Gonz¨¢lez, who pitched for the Rockies in 2019 and 2020, has had the most consistent spring of the three. In addition to his B-game work on Tuesday, he is 2-0 with a 3.72 ERA in four Cactus League outings, covering 9 2/3 innings. But Black said no decision has been made.

Gonz¨¢lez and Rolison were on the same pitching schedule as Freeland -- both had three scoreless innings in a B-game against the D-backs on Tuesday. That means one of them -- with Gonz¨¢lez¡¯s experience possibly being the decider over Rolison, the top Draft pick in 2018 -- would fit in the rotation for the regular season¡¯s second game on April 2 against the Dodgers at Coors Field.

But Gonz¨¢lez and Rodr¨ªguez especially had turned their attention toward long relief and were pitching reduced innings. Rolison is in the long relief mix, but his future value is as a Major League starter.

¡°Chi Chi¡¯s pitch count has been elevated through this spring,¡± Black said. ¡°Yesterday we backed him off a bit thinking our five starters were looking pretty good. Then the unfortunate arm injury to Kyle necessitates Chi Chi being built back up. He and Derek Rodr¨ªguez and Rolison are capable of throwing 75 pitches the next time out based on what they¡¯ve been doing this spring.

¡°Their pitch count has been built to a certain level. We¡¯ll probably press that more the next time they take the mound.¡±

By replacing Freeland and beginning the season with five starters, the four for the season-opening series against the Dodgers -- right-hander Germ¨¢n M¨¢rquez on April 1, followed by Gonz¨¢lez, Jon Gray and Austin Gomber -- would have an extra day¡¯s rest after their first starts.

Right-hander Antonio Senzatela, in solid standing after a hamstring injury early in camp, would get his extra day between his last Spring Training outing and his first start, April 6 at home against the D-backs.

Another option would be to begin the regular season with four starters and not add a fifth until April 10 at San Francisco. The question there would be Senzatela, who after recovering threw 45 pitches in a B-game on March 16 and 59 (41 strikes) against the Royals on Sunday, and whether his schedule can be manipulated so he can pitch on April 4.