Injuries continue to impact teams across Major League Baseball as clubs navigate the middle portion of the season. Several All-Stars and key contributors are dealing with new injuries, setbacks, or return-to-play decisions that could significantly affect their teams in the weeks ahead. Here's a look at the latest injury news, recovery timelines, and player availability updates from around the league.
Saturday, June 27th
Mike Trout - Hamstring
Trout said he is unlikely to participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby because of his strained right hamstring. While the Angels star expects to return in plenty of time for the July 14 All-Star Game, the extra stress of the Derby appears to be too much of a risk.
Bobby Witt Jr. - MCL
After missing six games with a Grade 1 right MCL sprain, Witt returned to the Royals' lineup Friday against the White Sox. The star shortstop suffered the injury on June 18 against the Cardinals and will serve as the designated hitter in his first game back, likely to limit stress on the knee.
Jake Cronenworth - Concussion
Cronenworth began his rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Friday and wasted no time making an impact, homering in his first at-bat. The Padres infielder is working his way back from a concussion sustained when he was hit by a pitch in late April. Before beginning his rehab stint, Cronenworth spent the past week at the team's complex in Peoria, Arizona, where he progressed to facing live pitching.
Marcelo Mayer - Forearm
The Red Sox placed Mayer on the 10-day injured list with a left forearm injury. The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft has struggled offensively this season, hitting .220 with three home runs and 22 RBI.
Thursday, June 26th
Ryan McMahon - Throat Infection
McMahon was placed on the 10-day injured list with a throat infection, sidelining the Yankees infielder despite the injury being unrelated to his recent on-field performance. McMahon has hit .210 with eight home runs this season. The club has not indicated that the illness is expected to result in a prolonged absence, and he could return once his symptoms resolve and he is medically cleared.
Kyle Schwarber - Back
Schwarber missed his second straight start because of lower back tightness, but his availability improved Wednesday. Interim manager Don Mattingly said Schwarber was cleared by the medical staff midway through the game and was available to pinch-hit if needed. He ultimately appeared in the ninth inning, working a 10-pitch walk, an encouraging sign that his back responded well enough for game action.
Hunter Greene - Elbow
Greene is nearing his return from arthroscopic right elbow surgery after making another successful rehab start. Recovering from a March 11 procedure to remove bone chips and loose bodies from his right elbow, Greene threw 64 pitches, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out three. The Reds believe one more rehab start should be enough before activating him from the 60-day injured list.
Wednesday, June 25th
Juan Soto - Back
Soto exited after four innings against the Cubs because of back discomfort and is considered day-to-day. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Soto's back "locked up," making it difficult for him to swing and throw effectively.
Zack Gelof - Hand
Gelof exited Tuesday night's game after suffering a painful right hand injury when Giants third baseman Matt Chapman accidentally stepped on his hand during a tag play at second base. The Athletics diagnosed the injury as a right hand laceration and contusion. The timing is particularly unfortunate, as it snapped his 24-game hitting streak, which was tied for the longest streak in Major League Baseball over the past two seasons.
Edward Cabrera - Hamstring
Cabrera was carted off the field Tuesday night after suffering a left hamstring/adductor strain while stretching for a throw at first base. The injury occurred on a non-contact play and was severe enough that he could not leave the field under his own power. Cabrera was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday.
Ben Brown - Neck
Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained neck after last pitching on Friday. The Cubs have not disclosed the severity of the strain or provided a timetable for his return, but the IL stint suggests the club believes he will need more than a few days of rest to recover.
Maikel Garcia - Hand
Garcia has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hand muscle strain after playing through discomfort for roughly a month. The Royals attempted to manage the injury with rest and treatment last week, holding him out of three games in hopes that the soreness would improve, but the pain persisted. Kansas City ultimately decided that an IL stint was the best path forward to allow the injury to fully heal.
Tuesday, June 24th
Kyle Schwarber - Back
Schwarber was scratched from Tuesday night's Phillies lineup against the Nationals because of lower back tightness. The issue appears to have surfaced pregame, prompting Philadelphia to hold out the major league home runs leader as a precaution.
CJ Abrams - Left Side
Abrams was a late scratch from Tuesday night's lineup because of left side tightness. Side injuries can be particularly troublesome for hitters and infielders because they affect rotational movements, throwing, and swinging. The Nationals opted to hold their shortstop out as a precaution, and the severity of the issue is not yet known. For now, Abrams should be considered day-to-day pending further evaluation and updates from the team.
Kyle Tucker - Back
Tucker will miss the remainder of the Dodgers' series against the Twins as he continues to recover from low back spasms that forced him to exit Monday's game. The good news is that Los Angeles is optimistic the issue is minor, with hopes that Tucker can return for Friday's series opener against the Padres
Elly De La Cruz - Hamstring
De La Cruz is in the Reds lineup on Tuesday after missing 19 games with a right hamstring strain. The Reds shortstop has steadily progressed through his rehab, including running the bases, taking infield work, and completing a rehab assignment without setbacks.
Jeremy Peña - Hamstring
Peña exited after appearing to aggravate his right hamstring while fouling off a pitch in the sixth inning. He immediately grabbed at the hamstring and extended his leg following the swing, an ominous sign given his recent injury history. Earlier this season, Peña missed more than a month with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain after landing on the injured list on April 13. Peña was able to pinch hit on Tuesday.
Francisco Lindor - Calf
Lindor's return will be delayed a few more days as the Mets want him to play at least one additional rehab game before making a final decision on activating him from the injured list. The star shortstop, sidelined since April with a strained left calf, is scheduled to play his third rehab game Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets appear focused on ensuring the calf can handle multiple games, full defensive workloads, and baserunning demands before bringing him back to the major league roster. Barring any setbacks, Lindor remains on track to return later this week after nearly two months on the shelf.
Monday, June 23rd
Francisco Lindor - Calf
Lindor continues to make steady progress from the strained left calf that has sidelined him since April. The Mets shortstop played all nine innings in his second rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, finishing 0-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. While Lindor remains on track to return from the injured list this week, the Mets are expected to give him a few more days before activating him, making Wednesday the most likely target for his return.
Bobby Witt Jr. - Knee
Witt remained out of the Royals' lineup Monday as he continues to recover from a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee. The injury was confirmed by MRI after he exited last week's game, but Kansas City remains optimistic that he can avoid a stint on the injured list.
Blake Treinen - Elbow
Treinen was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, but the early outlook appears encouraging. Manager Dave Roberts said imaging showed no structural damage, with the issue being attributed to inflammation and normal wear and tear rather than a more serious injury. The veteran reliever has posted a 3.52 ERA across 29 appearances this season and could miss only the minimum 15 days if the inflammation responds well to rest and treatment.
Kyle Teel - Knee
Teel is set to make his season debut after the White Sox activated him from the 60-day injured list. The 24-year-old catcher has endured a frustrating recovery process after initially suffering a right hamstring strain while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. During his rehab assignment, he then sustained a right knee injury that further delayed his return. Now healthy enough to rejoin the major league roster, Teel is expected to be behind the plate for Chicago's series opener against Cleveland.
Sunday, June 22nd
Bobby Witt Jr. - Knee
Witt remains day-to-day after an MRI confirmed a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee. He was held out of Sunday's lineup as the Royals continue to monitor his symptoms, but there is growing optimism that he will avoid a trip to the injured list. Grade 1 MCL sprains are the mildest form of ligament injury and typically involve only minor stretching of the ligament without significant instability. The fact that Kansas City is considering him day-to-day rather than placing him on the IL is an encouraging sign.
Justin Verlander - Hamstring
Verlander's return has been delayed after he suffered a left hamstring strain while working back from left hip inflammation that has sidelined him since April. The Tigers had planned for the 43-year-old right-hander to come off the injured list and start Sunday, but manager A.J. Hinch said the new hamstring injury will likely keep him out for "weeks." The setback is particularly frustrating because Verlander was nearing the end of his rehab process before the strain occurred.
Michael Soroka - Glute
Soroka has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right glute after exiting Friday's start before the second inning. The right-hander experienced the issue while throwing warmup pitches and was unable to continue. The injury comes at a difficult time for Arizona, as Soroka had been the club's most effective starter this season, posting an 8-3 record with a 3.07 ERA across 15 starts. Glute strains can impact a pitcher's lower-body drive and mechanics, so the Diamondbacks will likely be cautious with his recovery.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa - Forearm
Kiner-Falefa has been placed on the injured list with left forearm inflammation after dealing with discomfort for more than two weeks. The veteran utility infielder underwent an MRI after missing Friday's game against the Mariners and indicated that the symptoms worsened following Boston's flight to Seattle.
Jack Leiter - Ankle
Leiter was placed on the 15-day injured list because of right ankle posterior impingement, an issue he has been battling for much of the season. According to Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young, the injury had begun affecting Leiter's mechanics as he compensated for the discomfort on the mound.
