Ubaldo Jimenez's Return Pushed Back, Will Miss Tim Lincecum

Colorado Rockies ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez was originally scheduled to pitch in Monday's game against the San Francisco Giants and starter Tim Lincecum, but that start has been moved To Tuesday, reports the Denver Post's Troy Renck..

Manager Jim Tracy announced the change in the rotation because he does not want fifth starter Esmil Rogers, who will pitch Monday, to have nine days in between his starts. Rogers started on April 13 in a 5-4 victory over the Mets, gutting out five innings pitched and three runs allowed.

Moving Jimenez's start back one day shouldn't mean much to the team. Jimenez has the highest ERA on the team (7.50 in one start), which in a way tells us how good the starting rotation has been in his absence. Both Rogers and Jhoulys Chacin lead the team with 2.77 ERAs and Jorge De La Rosa (3.18) and Jason Hammel (4.91) follow. Recently optioned to the minors, Greg Reynolds put up a 3.27 ERA in two starts.

Rookie Alan Johnson will receive the first major league start of his career on Sunday, making a spot start due to Thursday's doubleheader forcing the Rockies to need an extra pitcher.

Ubaldo Jimenez Throws Successful Bullpen, Will Start April 18

Colorado Rockies ace RHP Ubaldo Jimenez went on the 15-day disabled list shortly after his disastrous Opening Day start with a cuticle injury. Since the injury, Jimenez has thrown a series of “aggressive” bullpen sessions with dramatically improved results, according to the Denver Post’s Troy Renck:

It was a far different story against a group of Oakland minor-leaguers in extended spring training Wednesday. He topped out at 97 mph and sat at 94 mph with his sinking fastball. More important, he didn’t have to adjust his grip or junk any of his weapons.

He is now scheduled to be activated in time to make his second start of the season, a premier matchup against Tim Lincecum and the World Series champion San Francisco Giants, the first in a three game series.

In Jimenez’s absence, 2006 first round selection Greg Reynolds has pitched two impressive starts. He threw six innings of three hit ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates but didn’t factor into the decision. Reynolds also matched up against the New York Mets in the first game of a doubleheader.

Rockies Place Ubaldo Jimenez On 15-Day DL With Cuticle Injury

The Colorado Rockies announced on Wednesday that staff ace Ubaldo Jimenez has been placed on the 15-Day disabled list due to a right thumb cuticle cut. This move is retroactive to April 2, when the injury was first revealed.

Jimenez started Opening Day for the Rockies on April 1, but did not look like the pitcher who finished third in the 2010 NL Cy Young voting. His fastball barely reached the mid- to upper-90s that fans expect, sitting in the low-90s and at points not even escaping the high-80s. A day later it was reported that Jimenez had a cut in his right thumb, which was where he had an injury at the start of spring training.

Greg Reynolds, the No. 2 overall pick in 2006, will be recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs and take Jimenez's spot in the rotation. As a result, Jorge De La Rosa will now pitch in Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, while Reynolds will start on Saturday.

Reynolds previously appeared in the majors in 2008, well before he was major league ready. He made 14 appearances (13 starts), going 2-8 with an 8.13 ERA. He allowed 14 home runs in 62 innings pitched. He made one minor league start in 2009 before going down with a shoulder injury. He recovered from that, but then needed to have bone chips removed from his elbow after a ball struck him there. He made several starts at the end of the 2010 season to put him in position to make the majors in 2011.