PEORIA, Ariz. — Carlos Gonzalez left Friday’s game with a a sore left knee in the fourth inning, a worrisome setback for the Rockies’ star right fielder.

Gonzalez was working back from surgery last August to repair a left patella tendon injury that shut down his season.

With one out in the third inning, Gonzalez caught a Will Middlebrooks fly ball, then relayed a throw back to the infield with the bases loaded.

That’s when Gonzalez said he felt soreness in his knee, the team said. He was taken out as a precaution and replaced in right field by Tim Wheeler.

Gonzalez returned ahead of schedule this spring after his rehab. He is hitting .360 in 25 at-bats in the Cactus League.

“I just felt a little fatigued today. I tried to play through it, but the manager decided to okay it easy,” he said.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss said Gonzalez’s timeline to return will be determined Saturday.

“I don’t anticipate him missing much time, if any,” Weiss said. “I don’t think it’s right at the site where he had surgery. I’m not concerned. Those guys (Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki) have gotten through spring in good shape. We want to keep it that way.”

Gonzalez said he felt his knee get sore after stopping short on a fly ball in the third inning. He doesn’t consider the soreness to be significant.

“When I hit the brakes,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t think it’s serious. You’re not going to feel great every day. Of course you’re going to feel sore.”

Gonzalez said he will return to the Rockies spring headquarters Saturday for re-evaluation.

“I’m going to show up early tomorrow and do what I do,” he said.

Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickgroke