Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado left Friday night’s game against the Braves after doubling and scoring in the top of the second inning with what the Rockies have diagnosed as a “left mallet finger fracture”. Arenado appeared to have suffered the injury sliding into second base on his double. Charlie Culberson replaced him at third base in the bottom of the second inning.
Via Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, it sounds like Arenado could miss six to eight weeks:
Mallet finger that bends down at end joint and cannot be straightened. Caused by injury to tendon. Splint worn day and night for 6-8 weeks
— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) May 24, 2014
Josh Rutledge was pulled from tonight’s game between the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and the Iowa Cubs. It appears that Rutledge will take Arenado’s spot on the roster.
Arenado has been a big contributor for the Rockies, slashing .305/.333/.489 while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at third base.