A bad start to the 2017 season got even worse for Trevor Story this week.
The Colorado Rockies second-year shortstop, who's struggled at the plate this year, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder, the Rockies announced Thursday.
Story, who entered the clubhouse with the shoulder heavily wrapped, tweaked it with a check swing against the Cubs on Tuesday.
"I tried to stop really fast and put the brakes on a little too hard," Story explained.
"This was pretty much the first time I’ve felt it like that. Everybody has nicks and bangs all the time. But it just kind of flared up pretty good on that check swing."
Story got the day off Wednesday. The team eventually determined that placing him on the 10-day DL was the best course of action.
"From the medical perspective, Duggy (head trainer Keith Dugger) and our doctors thought it might be a couple days," manager Bud Black said. "We just felt, ‘Hey, let’s put him on the DL’ because we didn’t know the timeline of his return. We have a four-man bench as it is."
Pat Valaika, who started Wednesday and Thursday at shortstop, will fill in for Story while he's out. Utility man Alexi Amarista will also get some playing time there, Black said.
Story blasted 27 home runs in 97 games while hitting .272 as a rookie. He's still displayed some power this year — with six home runs — but his average has dipped to .180 and his strikeout rate has climbed. He's struck out in 37.5 percent of his plate appearances, the second-highest mark among qualifying players in the MLB.
Still, Story has been a plus in the field and he's walking more than he did a year ago.
“Nobody wants to be on the DL. It’s a little flashback," said Story, referring to the thumb injury that ended his season in 2016. "But it’s not nearly as serious as that. I know it’s a short-term thing.”
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