Rockies activate Kris Bryant after a month on the injured list with a left heel bruise

DENVER (AP) — Colorado activated Kris Bryant before the Rockies’ game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, a month after the outfielder was placed on the injured list with a left heel bruise.

Bryant was scheduled to start in right field and hit second.

“I’m really excited,” Bryant said. “It’s never fun when you’re not playing, but I feel like we did some good work. All things considered, I feel like I’m in a better place than what I expected.”

The 32-year-old Bryant is hitting .263 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 50 games this season. He was 1 for 4 with a walk in his one rehab game at Albuquerque on Wednesday.

“It’s good to have ‘KB’ back in there,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “He’s a presence. He gives you a really good at-bat. He takes a lot of pressure off the guys. Hopefully he can jump right in and contribute.”

Bryant will have no initial restrictions, Black said.

“We’ll see how he’s going, but as long as he feels good and it makes sense to keep him going, we’re going to keep him going," Black said.

Bryant played only 42 games in his first season with Colorado in 2022, after signing a seven-year, $182 million free agent contract. He missed most of last season with plantar fasciitis.

The Rockies designated catcher Jorge Alfaro for assignment Friday and also promoted Ty Blach from Albuquerque to replace Matt Carasiti, who was placed open the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

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