Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back) should return to the starting lineup on Tuesday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers after he was activated from the injured list on Monday afternoon. The 33-year-old has been out since May 15 due to back spasms. Cron will presumably slot back into the heart of the lineup for a Rockies team that desperately needs a boost offensively, having lost eight of their last 10 games and dropping to 31-49 on the season. Drafted by fantasy managers as a source of power at the first base and/or corner infield position, the cleanup man will need to quickly get back on track if he hopes to pay off his draft-day price tag. His .228/.277/.426 slash line with just six homers leaves much to be desired, and while it's tough to justify dropping a power hitter in Coors Field, it's possible fantasy managers found something better on waivers while Cron was on the shelf.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back) said on Thursday that he is still dealing with lower-back pain, and there is no timetable for his return. Cron has been on the injured list since the middle of May and doesn't appear ready to resume baseball activities, so it might be a surprise if he's back in the big leagues by the end of June. Back issues are a serious deal, especially for a 33-year-old power hitter. Before the injury, Cron was hitting just .228 (31-for-136) with nine doubles, six home runs, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored in 36 games. He's still worth stashing in mixed leagues for his power abilities at the most hitter-friendly park in the big leagues, but fantasy managers might start running out of patience. Nolan Jones and Mike Moustakas have been sharing time at first base for the Rockies of late.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back) has yet to begin baseball activities, as the back spasms he endured on May 14 and forced him onto the 10-day injured list are taking longer to heal than first expected. The 33-year-old wanted to be back in action by May 25, but clearly, that won't happen. That's bad news for fantasy managers, as they'll be without the slugger for a while longer. Cron hasn't produced the same numbers as he has the past two seasons, batting .228 with six bombs, 19 runs, and 20 RBI over 36 games before the injury. Mike Moustakas should continue to see time at first base in his absence, but he hasn't been a contributor with the bat since 2020 and is hitting .239 with two homers across 28 games in 2023.

The Colorado Rockies placed first baseman C.J. Cron (back) on the 10-day injured list with back spasms and pitcher Nick Mears (oblique) on the injured list with a left-oblique strain on Monday. In corresponding moves, the team selected the contract of pitcher Fernando Abad from the minors and activated outfielder Michael Toglia from the minors. Cron will miss some time after leaving Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies with back spasms. The 33-year-old right-handed power bat has six home runs and 20 RBI in 148 trips to the plate, but he's also hitting just .228 (31-for-136) with 35 strikeouts and 10 walks in 36 games. Mike Moustakas should see most of the playing time at the cold corner with Cron out, with Toglia also being an option there for the Rockies.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back), catcher Elias Diaz and outfielder Jurickson Profar are all out of the starting lineup on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. Cron left the game on Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies with back spasms and will likely land on the injured list on Monday. He does have six home runs and 19 RBI in 35 games so far in 2023, but he's also hitting just .228 (31-for-136). Mike Moustakas is playing first base and hitting cleanup on Monday, and he should see more playing time with Cron sidelined for a bit. Austin Wynns is catching and batting eighth, while Randal Grichuk is in left field and hitting fifth against Reds right-hander Hunter Greene.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back) will likely head to the IL on Monday with back spasms. Cron left early Sunday against the Phillies, and although the injury seemed minor, the Rockies appear to be playing it safe with the 33-year-old by sending him to the IL. Being called up in his place is prospect Michael Toglia, who got his first sniff of the majors last year but didn't perform well. Toglia has been good at Triple-A this season, slashing .257/.364/.493 with eight homers. He doesn't need to be added other than in deep leagues, but he does have the potential to get on the fantasy radar quickly.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back) was forced to exit early during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. This isn't the first time that Cron's back has forced him out of a ballgame. The 33-year-old slugger was pulled out after going 0-for-2 due to back spasms. It sounds like a minor issue, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Monday for another update on his status. Cron is hitting .228/.277/.426 with six homers and 20 RBI, so maybe he could use a day or two off to rest.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron is out of the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-handed slugger appears to be getting a routine rest day here. Mike Moustakas will make the start at first base while Kris Bryant will serve as the designated hitter versus righty Mitch Keller. Cron is hitting .235/.295/.445 with six home runs and 16 RBI in 31 games this season. Hopefully, a day off will help him get back on track at the plate.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (illness) is back in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This is good news after Cron missed each of the last two games due to flu-like symptoms. The 33-year-old has been hot this season hitting .258 with three home runs and seven RBI through eight games. He'll bat cleanup and play first base versus lefty Steven Matz on Monday. Fantasy managers should make sure to get Cron back in their lineups for this game.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron is not in the lineup on Sunday for the series finale against the Washington Nationals. The hard-hitting 33-year-old also missed Saturday's game with flu-like symptoms so that's likely the reason that he's absent on Sunday as well. Cron got off to a scorching hot start this season and is slashing .258/.303/.613 with three home runs and seven RBI across 31 at-bats. Charlie Blackmon is serving as the Rockies' designated hitter and Mike Moustakas is starting at first base against Chad Kuhl.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (flu) has been scratched from the lineup due to flu-like symptoms Saturday. Cron has a .258/.303/.613 slash line to begin the season. He has three home runs with seven RBI. Cron's power has flashed early this season and fantasy managers will want to get him in the lineup when he's feeling better.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron had an Opening Day to remember, helping his club defeat the San Diego Padres 7-2 Thursday night. The 10-year veteran went 4-for-5 with a pair of homers, a double, five RBI, and two runs scored. Cron is beginning his third season in Denver, and he hasn't disappointed yet. In 2022, the 33-year-old slashed .257/.315/.468 with 29 homers, 79 runs, and 102 RBI across 150 games. Fantasy managers should expect much of the same this year, as the Colorado air will continue to help his offensive game. Cron should go deep at least 25 times again for the third season in a row and contribute a bunch of counting stats.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (back) will miss at least a few days of Cactus League games due to back spasms he experienced on Thursday. There is no timeline for him to return to spring action. Cron hasn't been in the lineup since Tuesday, but his back injury doesn't look to be serious enough to put him on the injured list to begin the 2023 regular season. If for some reason his back spasms linger, Mike Moustakas and Harold Castro would likely split first base duties in Colorado, while Michael Toglia could also be an option at the cold corner. The 33-year-old Cron has attractive power, especially at hitter-friendly Coors Field, as he's hit 57 long balls in the last two years. But like most Rockies hitters, he hasn't been nearly as good on the road.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (hand) has returned to the starting lineup on Sunday against the San Diego Padres. The veteran slugger missed the previous three games with a sore hand after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday but he's locked in on Sunday and batting cleanup. Cron has mashed 29 home runs with a career-high 101 RBI on the season.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (hand) remains out of the starting lineup on Friday against the San Diego Padres. Cron will miss his second straight game after leaving Wednesday's contest early when he was hit by a pitch on his left hand. Consider him day-to-day for now. The 32-year-old has been an excellent source of power at Coors Field in 2022, as he has 29 home runs and 101 RBI in 547 at-bats. Rookie Michael Toglia will get another start at first base and hit fifth on Friday against Padres left-hander Sean Manaea. Toglia will be playing in his 21st major-league game on Friday, and he's gone 17-for-74 (.230) with two home runs and 10 RBI.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (hand) is not in the starting lineup on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants. Cron was hit in the hand by a pitch on Wednesday and is dealing with a left hand contusion, so he'll sit out for at least one game. The right-handed power hitter is batting .238 (15-for-63) with five dingers, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored in 17 games this month, so fantasy managers will be hoping he doesn't miss too many games with the regular season winding down. Rookie Michael Toglia is starting at first base on Thursday and is hitting fifth against Giants right-hander John Brebbia. Toglia will only be playing in his 19th major-league game. He's gone 15-for-66 (.227) with two homers, six doubles and 10 RBI in the early going.

The Colorado Rockies are likely to remain quiet at this year's trade deadline, which means it's unlikely they'll deal first baseman C.J. Cron or closer Daniel Bard. The Rockies think they still have a shot at the postseason, so they aren't willing to part with their top players. Multiple teams are interested in Bard as a rental piece, but the Rockies think they have a good chance to re-sign him. He's been excellent this year with a 1.91 ERA and 21 saves. Cron is the team's best player, and the Rockies see him helping them contend in the future. Shortstop Jose Iglesias and right-hander Chad Kuhl are also unlikely to be dealt by Tuesday, while it's possible the team parts ways with veteran reliever Alex Colome, who can give contending teams an experienced relief arm.

Colorado Rockies first baseman/designated hitter C.J. Cron (wrist) is sitting out on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Zac Gallen hit Cron with a pitch on the wrist on Friday, which kept him out of Saturday's game as well. X-rays did come back negative but Cron will sit out another day as he's likely dealing with some soreness.

Colorado Rockies first baseman/designated hitter C.J. Cron (wrist) is not in the lineup on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cron was plunked on the wrist by Zac Gallen during Friday's contest so that appears to be the reason for his absence on Saturday. X-rays did come back negative but he's likely dealing with some soreness. He's got a chance to make it back for the series finale on Sunday but he should be considered day-to-day for the time being. The 32-year-old slugger is rocking a .295/.350/.551 batting line with 20 home runs and 66 RBI over 325 at-bats this year.

Colorado Rockies first baseman/designated hitter C.J. Cron is sitting out on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. The veteran slugger has appeared in every game for Colorado this season so a day off was in order. He's slowed down a bit the last few weeks after his torrid start to the season but he's still slashing a rock-solid .292/.346/.550 with 14 home runs and 40 RBI over the first 53 games of the season. Connor Joe is filling in at first base and Charlie Morton is the designated hitter on Sunday against Braves righty Charlie Morton.