Rockies' Kris Bryant on IL with Back Injury Revealed as Degenerative Disc Disease

Kris Bryant's disappointing tenure with the Colorado Rockies saw another unfortunate development Monday when the National League West team announced it placed him on the 10-day injured list due to lumbar degenerative disc disease.

The stint on the IL is retroactive to Sunday.

"It's been bothering him for a few days," manager Bud Black said, per Beth Harris of the Associated Press. "We decided to be a little bit proactive and put him on the injured list. Hopefully in 10 days he'll be back."

Harris noted degenerative disc disease causes a deterioration of spinal discs that provide cushions between the vertebrae. It happens over the course of aging but can be more noticeable and painful with injury and overuse.

Unfortunately for Bryant, spending time on the IL is nothing new since he joined the Rockies on a seven-year deal ahead of the 2022 campaign.

This is his ninth trip to the IL since then due to issues such as plantar fasciitis, a broken finger, a back strain, a rib contusion, and setbacks involving his heel and back. He followed a back-strengthening program this offseason but is still back on the IL.

Bryant has also struggled when he is in the lineup for Colorado and was slashing .154/.195/.205 with zero home runs and one RBI in 11 games this season. He appeared in just 37 games in 2024 and slashed .218/.323/.301 with two home runs and 15 RBI.

His production in Colorado stands in stark contrast to the first seven years of his career with the Chicago Cubs. 

Bryant's list of accomplishments in the Windy City included a National League MVP, a NL Rookie of the Year and four All-Star selections. He also helped lead the Cubs to the 2016 World Series title, which was their first championship since 1908.

Despite his success in Chicago, the NL Central team traded him to the San Francisco Giants during a sell off in the 2021 season.

He then joined the Rockies in free agency during the ensuing offseason and surely envisioned plenty of offensive success in the altitude of Coors Field. Instead, he has consistently dealt with injuries and is now once again out of the lineup.