Doyle returns for Rox after 4 games out with shoulder soreness

CLEVELAND -- Monday was the latest green light during Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle’s stop-and-go 2025.

Doyle returned to interim manager Warren Schaeffer’s lineup after missing four games with a sore right shoulder, which he sustained while making a diving catch Tuesday night against the Cardinals. He aggravated the injury on a slide into home plate later in the game.

Fittingly during a rough season that has seen Doyle bat .216 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs, Doyle’s shoulder mishap occurred during one of his most productive stretches -- five games during which he was 8-for-17 (.471). There wasn’t an extra-base hit and some hits were of the infield variety, but he was putting the ball in play consistently and using his speed.

“It’s definitely frustrating, having something like this happening right after I had some consecutive multi-hit games,” Doyle said. “You definitely want to keep building on those games and be in the lineup whenever you can. But being healthy is the No. 1 priority.”

Doyle, 27, won Gold Glove Awards his first two seasons in the Majors. Last year, he hinted at stardom while slashing .260/.317/.446 with 23 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 72 RBIs. He was expected to take the next step. With the club becoming increasingly young, Doyle was looked at more as a veteran than an emerging player.

That may have been a bit quick. His debut was April 24, 2023 -- interestingly, at Progressive Field against the Guardians.

“I definitely consider myself to be one of the young guys, but we have a lot of young guys so I always try to be that veteran presence,” Doyle said. “If I have to, I can.”

What kind of presence he is and will be has been thrown into question.

This year, a quadriceps injury and time on the bereavement list stopped him after a strong start. Slumps led to days out of the lineup, and the emergence of Mickey Moniak (who can play center) and Tyler Freeman (in right field) gave Schaeffer another option.

It’s a good problem for Schaeffer, who juggles his outfielders and can ride with whoever is hot in center and right. Left fielder Jordan Beck is a constant lineup presence. Left-handed hitting Rockies No. 6 prospect Yanquiel Fernández is receiving spot-starts against right-handed pitchers in his early days in the Majors.

“Mickey has been playing good, and Freeman has had a good year,” Schaeffer said. “Brenton Doyle is having not quite the year he wants to have, but there’s still a good player in there.

“It’s good to have competition.”

The Trade Deadline approaching on Thursday adds another layer to the situation. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that teams have inquired about Doyle, who is eligible for arbitration after this season and under club control through 2029, and All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, who also is under club control through 2029. The Rockies have so far resisted giving up young, productive players whose salaries are on the lower end, but could get multiple players in the right deal. Clubs also have inquired about Moniak, who is headed into his second year of arbitration.

Doyle’s approach is to keep competing.

“I just take it day by day, come to the park ready to play, and I don’t let that outside noise get into my head too much,” he said. “I haven’t really even thought about trade talk.”