Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is set to start his injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday after missing a month with a left oblique strain. The Gold Glove winner expressed excitement about rejoining teammate Thairo Estrada following the Rockies' recent 7-6 win over the Houston Astros. Tovar aims to ramp up to game speed after a week of practice.
Ezequiel Tovar, the Colorado Rockies' standout shortstop who earned his first National League Gold Glove Award last season, packed his bags on Thursday in Denver, eager to return to action. After sidelining for a month due to a left oblique strain, Tovar confirmed he will head to Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday to begin his minor league rehab assignment. The 2025 season has been challenging for the 23-year-old, who earlier missed another month with a left hip contusion before batting .306 over 16 games through June 2, only to exit again with the oblique injury.
Prior to departing, Tovar completed aggressive running drills on the bases at Coors Field and witnessed the Rockies' narrow 7-6 victory against the Houston Astros. Second baseman Thairo Estrada shone in the game, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a home run. The duo, anticipated to anchor the middle infield since Estrada's signing on a one-year contract with a 2026 mutual option, has only been active together in four games this season, playing side-by-side in just three.
The Rockies, holding a 20-67 record after the win—the fifth-worst mark in the modern era—hope the partnership can spark improvement. Tovar praised Estrada as "a really nice ballplayer" and "a really good human—good friend, good teammate," noting it's easy to mesh with him. Estrada reciprocated, calling Tovar a "good hitter, Gold Glover" and expressing team excitement for his return to "show what a middle infield should look like."
Following a week of batting, fielding practice, and accelerated running, Tovar reported no current pain but emphasized the need to build comfort and reach game speed.