Rockies' Gray exits start after aggravating toe injury

Colorado Rockies ace Jon Gray was forced to exit Thursday night's game against the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning after aggravating a big toe injury on his left foot.

Gray had shown flares of promise through his first two starts of the season. He struck out seven in his first appearance, but allowed five runs in four innings. He lasted 5 1/3 in his second start, allowing only a single run.

Things were looking even better on Thursday. Gray had allowed only one hit through three-plus innings with no earned runs. Though he walked the leadoff batter in the fourth before being pulled, he was out-pitching Madison Bumgarner to that point.

Gray left a spring-training start in late March with a foot injury, but didn't miss any time.

If the injury turns out to be serious, he would join the likes of Ian Desmond, David Dahl, and Tom Murphy among the Rockies' fallen stars in the early going.

The 25-year-old right-hander finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2016.

Known for his ridiculously long hair, Gray recently cut his eight-inch ponytail to donate it to "Locks of Love," a charity that provides hairpieces to children dealing with medical hair-loss.