Michael Cuddyer is in limbo.
His left arm is still supported by a sling and he’s not sure when he’s going to play baseball again. His three-year, $31.5 million contract with the Rockies concludes at the end of this season. Soon, the 35-year-old outfielder/first baseman will be a man without a team.
But the ever-upbeat Cuddyer is simply taking things one day at a time.
Plans are for Cuddyer to undergo an MRI on his broken left shoulder after the Rockies return from their trip to Pittsburgh on July 21. If the shoulder is healed, he’ll begin getting back in shape for baseball, hoping to salvage a piece of the season.
If the shoulder has not sufficiently healed, his season — and his career with the Rockies — could be over.
Cuddyer suffered a non-displaced fracture of the glenoid socket in his left shoulder on June 5 when he tumbled while playing third base against Arizona. The glenoid socket is commonly referred to as the shoulder socket.
“That will be six weeks,” he said of the schedule for the pending MRI . “If it’s healed by then, then I will start my strengthening and rehab. If it’s not healed, it’s probably going to be another couple of weeks in a sling. Obviously, we are are hoping for the former.
“If it’s not healed, it would be tough to come back. I’m not saying it wouldn’t happen, but it would be tough. (The Rockies’ medical staff) is fairly confident that it will be healed.”
Cuddyer says he has not had any conversations with the Rockies about signing a new deal and returning to Colorado.
“First and foremost, I want to come back healthy,” he said. “That’s the first thing that is on my mind. I want to come back and play six weeks, five weeks or a month, whatever it might be. At least play a little bit, and show that I’m healthy so at least I don’t have that hanging over my head.”
As for his long-term baseball future, Cuddyer said: “Whatever happens in the offseason happens. There is nothing I can do to change that. There is no sense of worrying about it.”
If the Rockies made an offer for him to return, would he listen?
“Of course I would, no question,” he said. “I love it here. It obviously hasn’t panned out this season the way we thought it would so far, whether it’s because of injuries or whatever the case may be.
“We’ve been dealt a pretty bad hand. But I like they guys, I like the organization and I like everything about it. It would definitely be one of the tops on my list.”
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or twitter.com/psaundersdp
