DENVER -- If the Rockies are ready for left-handed starting pitcher Austin Gomber, he’s ready to come back to them.
Gomber, who hasn’t pitched in the Majors this season because of shoulder soreness that first cropped up during Spring Training, struck out five in four one-hit innings in an injury rehab start for homestanding Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday night. He left with the Isotopes leading Oklahoma City, 10-1.
Gomber threw 69 pitches, with two (of his three total) walks and an error in the second inning elevating his pitch count. The Rockies had hoped to have him at least go into the fifth inning. However, in his previous start on this rehab stint, he breezed through four innings on 41 pitches for Double-A Hartford at Portland.
“Obviously, that’s not my decision,” Gomber said. “I've only thrown twice in games. At the outset of this, I think it was two to three [starts].
“I feel like I’m ready, like coming-out-of-Spring Training ready. As I get into the season and continue to get more starts, I’ll get sharper and continue to feel better. But I'm able to go out there and compete right now, absolutely.”
Gomber, 31, had several strong periods last year while finishing with a 99 ERA+ (100 being MLB average), and the club expected him to be a veteran rotation leader. After avoiding arbitration during the winter by agreeing to a $6.35 million, one-year contract, Gomber entered his final season before being eligible for free agency.
But the soreness began as soon as Spring Training began. He threw a rehab game for Albuquerque at the start of the season, but backed off because the soreness returned.
The new rehab pace has been more deliberate, and the results are to Gomber’s liking. On Tuesday, his command and his secondary pitches were sharper than during his Hartford outing.
“Just try to clean up the slider a little bit -- it’s been getting a little sweepy on me,” he said. “That was better tonight -- got a couple strikeouts on that. The curveball was good, especially as the outing went on. I was able to throw it for strikes and I mixed in a couple changeups. I need to continue to get reps, and fastball command will continue to get better.”