Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon, itching to return after injury

In what is likely his final season in a Rockies uniform, Charlie Blackmon is trying to stay patient as he waits for his broken right hand to heal.

“It’s different. It’s an adjustment,” the veteran outfielder/designated hitter said Friday before the Rockies hosted the Tigers at Coors Field. “I’d rather be playing, certainly.”

His absence is made more difficult by Colorado’s June swoon in which the Rockies will win fewer than 10 games in the month for just the fourth time in franchise history.

“It’s tough not really being a contributor,” he said. “No matter what I do, it’s rarely critical. Whether it’s bringing energy to the dugout or talking to guys off the field, that’s not a lot of impact.”

Blackmon said Friday that he will have to wear the cast on his right hand for two more weeks. He’s not sure how long it will take for him to get back in the lineup.

“I think it’s pretty variable as to when I come back,” he said.

Blackmon, who turns 37 on July 1, landed on the 10-day injured list on June 11 after playing a week with the fractured hand. For now, Blackmon is staying in shape by doing weight training and running.

Blackmon is in the final year of his six-year, $108 million contract. He exercised his $15.3 million player option to play his 13th season with the Rockies. He said he’s not dwelling on the fact that he’s been injured for a good chunk of the season.

“I don’t dwell on it; try not to worry about it,” Blackmon said.

KB returns. Right fielder Kris Bryant, who’s been on the injured list since June 1 with an injured left heel (bruise and plantar fasciitis), returned to the lineup Friday, starting in right field and hitting second.

“I’m really excited,” Bryant said. “It’s never fun when you’re not playing, but I feel like we did some good work. All things considered, I feel like I’m in a better place than what I expected.”

Bryant, 31, hit .263 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 50 games before the injury. He hit 1 for 4 with a walk in his one rehab game at Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday.

“It’s good to have ‘KB’ back in there,” manager Bud Black said. “He’s a presence. He gives you a really good at-bat. He takes a lot of pressure off the guys. Hopefully, he can jump right in and contribute.”

Black said there are no plans to restrict Bryant’s playing time.

“We’ll see how he’s going, but as long as he feels good and it makes sense to keep him going, we’re going to keep him going,” Black said.

Bryant played only 42 games in his first season with Colorado in 2022, after signing a seven-year, $182 million free-agent contract. He missed an early part of the season with a lower-back injury and then missed much of the remainder of the season with plantar fasciitis.