Kris Bryant’s Shocking Comeback: Former MVP’s Hot Streak Ignites Rockies’ Playoff Hopes

Colorado Rockies slugger Kris Bryant has once again landed in the spotlight—this time for both the seriousness of his lumbar degenerative disc disease and the aggressive procedure he hopes will save his 2025 season. The 33-year-old designated hitter traveled to Los Angeles earlier this month for a radio-frequency ablation designed to deaden nerves that have been triggering chronic lower-back pain, an issue that has limited him to just 11 games and a .154 average with no home runs this year. Bryant, who acknowledged frustration yet vowed he’s “not going to give up,” hopes the minimally invasive treatment will shave weeks off a traditional rehab timetable and allow him to rejoin the Rockies lineup before the All-Star break. Club officials have not issued a firm return date, but inside Coors Field the expectation is that he will need at least three weeks of core-strengthening work followed by a brief Triple-A rehab assignment. The setback arrives at a pivotal moment in Bryant’s career. On April 20 he quietly became the first MLB player to reach 10 full years of service time in 2025, a milestone that fully vests his no-trade rights and cements his $182 million contract through 2028. That security hasn’t stopped speculation that Colorado—mired in last place—might explore creative ways to shed salary if the former NL MVP cannot stay on the field. From Chicago champion to Denver question mark Bryant’s arrival in 2022 was heralded as the biggest free-agent coup in Rockies history. Since then, however, the All-Star outfielder has appeared in only 170 of a possible 486 regular-season games, hampered by foot, hand and now back ailments. Advanced metrics underscore the decline: his average exit velocity (87.9 mph) and barrel rate (4.1 %) are career lows, and Statcast now lists him among the bottom third of MLB hitters in sprint speed. What’s next for the Rockies—and for Bryant? • Best-case scenario: the ablation calms nerve pain, restores rotational freedom in his swing, and lets Bryant reclaim a middle-order spot by mid-July. • Worst-case scenario: lingering numbness or recurring inflammation forces season-ending surgery, a possibility that would ignite retirement chatter despite Bryant’s insistence that “walking away isn’t on my mind.” • Trade-deadline angle: even with full no-trade protection, Bryant could waive it for a contender if the Rockies pay down salary; industry insiders view an August waiver-wire deal as more realistic should he prove healthy. Fantasy and betting takeaway Until Bryant demonstrates power in rehab games, fantasy managers should leave him on IL slots. Sportsbooks have already lengthened Colorado’s win-total over/under by 1.5 games since news of the procedure broke. Bottom line Kris Bryant’s back is once again the defining storyline of the Rockies’ season. Whether this latest medical gamble revives the former MVP’s thunder—or hastens an early fade from the big-league stage—will shape both Colorado’s rebuild timeline and Bryant’s legacy in the Mile High City.