Rockies OF Kris Bryant won't play again in 2022

It wasn’t looking likely that Kris Bryant would get back onto the field before the season was over, and the Rockies slugger confirmed to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding that his 2022 season is indeed done. Bryant’s first season in Colorado concludes with only 42 games played, and a .306/.376/.475 slash line over 181 plate appearances.

Three separate stints on the injured list spoiled Bryant’s year, including two absences related to lower-back problems. Bryant hasn’t played since July 31 due to foot injuries, including both a bone bruise and plantar fasciitis in his right foot. With the Rockies already out of contention by August, Bryant said he received a platelet-rich plasma injection on Aug. 24, and “if we were in the playoff hunt, I probably would have pushed through and got a cortisone shot. The PRP is more healing, while cortisone masks the pain.”

The decision puts Bryant in better position to be fully ready for 2023, and he indicated that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

 “I wanted to get as close to being able to play a game as I could, because then I can formulate an offseason approach that’s better,” Bryant said.

Though injuries have been an increasing factor for Bryant in recent years, 2022 represents far and away the lowest game total of his seven regulation-length Major League seasons. (Bryant’s 42 games with Colorado barely topped his 34 appearances in the shortened 2020 campaign.) 

Unsurprisingly, Bryant described his season as “a little depressing, just not playing baseball. ... Every year from February to October, I’m used to playing baseball. And for the most part this year, I’ve been watching.”

Bryant and the Rockies can only hope for better things in 2023 and beyond, as Bryant still has six seasons remaining on his seven-year, $182M free agent deal from last winter. On the plus side, Bryant hit well when he was healthy this year, though he hit much better on the road (.996 OPS in 70 PA) than he did at Coors Field (.761 OPS in 111 PA). The sample sizes are probably too small to draw any major conclusions, of course, but naturally the Rockies are hoping for more consistent production from Bryant at his new home ballpark.