MLB Injury Report: Week of April 5th

With the 2026 MLB season underway, injuries are already beginning to shape rosters, rotations and lineup decisions across the league. From stars landing on the injured list to key contributors playing through early-season issues, here is the MLB Injury Report for the week of April 5, with the latest notable injuries and what they could mean moving forward.

Mike Trout - Los Angeles Angels

Trout exited Sunday’s game in the eighth inning after taking a 94.2 mph fastball off the hand, but X-rays were negative. Trout returned to the lineup on Tuesday.

Cade Horton - Chicago Cubs

Horton will undergo season-ending surgery to repair damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday. The exact procedure, whether Tommy John surgery or an internal brace repair, will be determined during the operation.

Mookie Betts - Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers placed shortstop Mookie Betts on the injured list Sunday with a right oblique strain. Los Angeles is hopeful he will return sooner than the typical 4-6 week recovery timeline for oblique strains.

Juan Soto - New York Mets

The Mets placed Soto on the injured list Monday after he suffered a minor right calf strain while running the bases Friday against the Giants. Soto is expected to miss two to three weeks after undergoing an MRI on Saturday.

Hunter Brown - Houston Astros

The Astros placed ace Brown on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a shoulder strain after he felt discomfort during his throwing program Friday. Manager Joe Espada said a timeline for Brown’s return will depend on the results of additional testing.

Cristian Javier - Houston Astros

Javier left Wednesday’s game against Colorado after one inning in an unexpected early exit. The 29-year-old allowed one run on three hits and threw just 20 pitches in his third start of the season.

Alejandro Kirk - Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk underwent surgery on his fractured left thumb and is expected to miss about six weeks.

Jacob deGrom - Texas Rangers

deGrom underwent an MRI on his right knee Tuesday after experiencing discomfort during his pregame warmup Monday night, but the results showed no structural damage. Manager Skip Schumaker said deGrom felt “a little something” before the game, though it did not significantly affect him during his five-inning outing against Seattle.

Matthew Boyd - Chicago Cubs

The Cubs placed Opening Day starter Boyd on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 3, with a left biceps strain. Right-hander Javier Assad was recalled from Triple-A Iowa and will start Tuesday against the Rays in Boyd’s place.

Zach Eflin - Baltimore Orioles

Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Wednesday, ending his 2026 season after just one start. The procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister after imaging and a second opinion confirmed the need for UCL reconstruction.

Max Scherzer - Toronto Blue Jays

Scherzer left Monday’s loss to the Dodgers after two innings because of forearm tendinitis. Scherzer said he has been dealing with soreness for a couple of days but does not believe it is a major issue and expects to make his next start.

Gabriel Arias - Cleveland Guardians

Arias underwent an MRI and clinical examination that confirmed a moderate hamstring strain, the Guardians announced. The 26-year-old is expected to miss four to eight weeks.

Justin Verlander - Detroit Tigers

The Tigers placed Verlander on the 15-day injured list Saturday with left hip inflammation. The move was made retroactive to Wednesday, making him eligible to return on April 16.

Carlos Santana - Arizona Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks first baseman Carlos Santana was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right adductor strain. Manager Torey Lovullo said he expects Santana to miss more than the minimum 10 days, though the severity of the strain is still unclear.

José Buttó - San Francisco Giants

Giants reliever Buttó is expected to miss two to four months after undergoing surgery Friday to remove a blood clot from his right arm. San Francisco had placed Buttó on the 15-day injured list with right arm fatigue after his velocity dipped during Wednesday’s outing against the Padres.

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