Positive developments weren't hard to spot for Colorado in Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, and yet their significance was overshadowed.
Germán Márquez, leading a pitching staff that's struggled mightily at times in recent years, has been the team's rock. He exited his start before the sixth inning of the Rockies' 7-4 home win, and with him followed droves of questions.
Catcher Elias Díaz intervened after seeing Márquez grab his arm between warm-up pitches before the inning. He stopped throwing and waved the training staff onto the field before they escorted the righty out of the game.
After the game, he spoke confidently that the injury wasn't significant, in part because he's dealt with the mid-forearm tightness between starts.
He allowed two earned runs and struck out four across his 62 pitches before exiting. Further testing will take place on Tuesday.
"I just felt (it) in the middle of my forearm. I think I'll be all right. It's just tightness," Màrquez said. "(In) 2019, it was pain. Today I just felt soreness."
José Ureña has struggled in a pair of starts as the team's backend of the rotation, and the depth would be tested once again with a possible Márquez absence. Connor Seabold didn't pitch in Monday's win and could be used as a temporary replacement, among other options.
The possible injury overshadowed a standout showing for the team's youth.
Alan Trejo put together a three-hit game for just the second time in his career and drove in a pair of runs. Ezequiel Tovar also found a rhythm with two doubles, one apiece down the first and third base lines.
Trejo, who started at second before moving to third later in the game due to substitutions, also put together several defensive plays, including a diving play to rob Nolan Arenado of a single.
"We need them all. We talk about that all the time," manager Bud Black said. "They're here because we think they can do it. To get bottom-of-the-order production is huge so the guys on the top or in the middle don't feel that responsibility all the time."
Momentum for the youngsters could come from Monday's standout performances, and be a catalyst for their success moving forward.
All of the team's upward inertia would be tough to sustain without the Rockies' top starter, though.
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