The Colorado Rockies were dealt a huge blow to their starting pitching rotation Tuesday when German Marquez announced that he was undergoing Tommy John surgery. Marquez has been on the injured list with elbow inflammation since April 28.

Marquez made 63 starts in 2021 and 2022, proving to be one of the more reliable pitchers in Major League Baseball. So far this season he has made four starts tossing 20 innings. He has a 4.95 ERA with 11 earned runs allowed.

The Rockies are out to the worst record in the National League and certainly could have done without this injury. The Rockies as a team have the fourth-worst ERA in the league at 5.36.

Marquez, the one-time all-star, is in the final year of his contract with a team option for 2024. The Rockies could opt to keep Marquez next season so he can properly train and rehab after the surgery. There's a possibility he could come back late in the 2024 season.

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Marquez has a 4.41 ERA in 176 games across eight seasons. He has four seasons with 170 or more innings pitched and struck out a career-high 230 hitters in 2018.

The Rockies are not supposed to be playoff contenders this season but losing a pitcher who has been reliable for a while is tough for any team. Don't be surprised if the team's ERA jumps up even more with the absence of German Marquez. The Rockies are likely hoping for a speedy and stress-free recovery for Marquez so they can once again trot him out there confidently every fifth day. That likely won't happen for some time though.