Kris

Bryant

Word over the winter was that the 34-year-old slugger wasn’t considering retirement, but that may eventually be the only path available to Bryant if he’s unable to overcome his chronic back issues. Bryant has played in just 170 games during his first four seasons with the Rockies.

Barring some surprisingly good news, Bryant will probably go right back on the 60-day injured list once spring training starts. There hasn’t been anything to suggest his back will allow him to contribute going forward.

Bryant was limited to just 10 games this past season before omnipresent back issues put him on the shelf for the rest of the year. The 33-year-old former NL MVP has played in just 170 of a possible 648 contests over the last four seasons since signing a seven-year, $182 million contract the Rockies. He was diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disease, a chronic back condition, back in April and underwent an ablation procedure a couple weeks later. He’s still experiencing pain while performing baseball activities, with the exception of swinging a bat, which puts his career in jeopardy. His long-term health is the much greater concern at this advanced juncture of his baseball life. Simply put, it seems highly unlikely that he’ll be an everyday player again. It’s possible the Rockies will make a decision on his future with the club this offseason once they decide on a new head of baseball operations since there are still three years and $78 million left on his albatross contract.

Bryant added that he’ll consult with doctors this week to explore experimental treatment options in an effort to avoid back surgery, which would likely be career-ending. The 33-year-old former NL MVP has been out since early April dealing with lumbar degenerative disease, a chronic condition that will require constant management for the rest of his playing career. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if he’s ever going to play again. We’re hoping that isn’t the case, but he’s not making any sort of progress towards returning this season.

Bryant added that he’s still experiencing pain and discomfort while running, but continues to express optimism that he’ll get back on the field for the Rockies at some point. The 33-year-old former NL MVP remains without a clear return timetable after being diagnosed earlier this year with lumbar degenerative disease, a condition that he’ll need to manage for the remainder of his playing career.

Bryant, who underwent an ablation procedure to aid healing in his lower back earlier this week, remains without a return timetable. The 33-year-old former NL MVP was diagnosed last month with lumbar degenerative disease and will have to manage the ongoing issue for the remainder of his playing career.

Bryant will travel to Los Angeles on Thursday to have the procedure performed to aid healing in his back. The 33-year-old former NL MVP was diagnosed last month with lumbar degenerative disease and will have to manage the ongoing issue for the remainder of his playing career. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.

Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt told reporters Bryant’s visit with orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins will determine the next steps in his rehabilitation process. The 33-year-old was diagnosed earlier this month with lumbar degenerative disease and will have to manage the ongoing issue for the remainder of his playing career. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.

Bryant added that he’s received a couple anti-inflammatory shots to address the inflammation in his back and has no plans to give up on a potential return. The 33-year-old was diagnosed earlier this month with lumbar degenerative disease and is expected to have to manage the ongoing issue for the rest of his career. The assumption is that he’ll be ready to return when first eligible, but that hardly seems like a guarantee at this point.

That’s the good news, but Black also cautioned that this is something Bryant and the Rockies are going to have to manage and address going forward. The 33-year-old was diagnosed with a degenerative disc disease, and it’s likely this will be something that he’ll have to deal with for the rest of his career. Bryant can’t be recommended a fantasy hold, even with Coors Field at his disposal for home games.