Spring training is in full swing, and several key players have already suffered injuries. With the MLB regular season, on the horizon, teams are starting to get a sense of which players might not be available to start the season and beyond.
Here are a handful of some of the more notable players who either got hurt on the field or underwent surgery prior to reporting.
Justin Verlander
Verlander had a should injury just before the start Spring Training, which delayed him reporting for the Astros. The three-time CY Young winner hasn’t been throwing to hitters, but said Sunday he wasn’t sure if he would be ready for Opening Day.
Kodai Senga
New York’s ace went for an MRI Wednesday after reporting some arm fatigue. On Thursday, the team announced he has a moderate right posterior capsule strain and will miss the start of the season. It’s unknown how long he’ll be out, but the team expects him to “make a bunch of starts” this year. Senga finished seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting last year, going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA as a rookie.
Corey Seager
The reigning World Series Champions announced earlier this month that Seager underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia at the end of January. It’s unclear whether he’ll be ready to go on Opening Day. The injury reportedly occurred during last year’s postseason. However, it didn’t impact him much as he was named the World Series MVP. Seager batted .318 with six home runs and 12 RBIs in 17 playoff games. The team believed rest would be enough to heal it over the winter, but he instead went under the knife.
Josh Jung
Texas’ third base slugger suffered a calf strain while fielding grounders at the team’s spring complex. Fortunately, an MRI revealed it’s a low-grade strain, and he’s expected to be back in around 2-3 weeks. Jung hit .266 with 23 home runs in 122 games as a rookie in 2023.
Kyle Bradish
Bradish broke out in a big way a year ago and was expected to play a key role for a Baltimore team with World Series aspirations. Unfortunately, the Orioles announced at the start of spring training that he’ll begin the year on the injured list with a right UCL sprain, and that there is no timetable for his return. Bradish finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting last season, going 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA.
Gunnar Henderson
Another Orioles star suffered an early injury as Gunnar Henderson strained his oblique shortly before spring training. Fortunately, this one figures to be nowhere near as serious as Bradish’s. Baltimore believes the reigning AL Rookie of the Year will return in March and be ready for opening day. Henderson hit .255 last season with 28 home runs, 100 runs, 82 RBIs and 10 steals.
Matt McClain
McClain’s impressive rookie season was cut short after suffering a right oblique strain. He arrived to camp healthy, but reported oblique soreness during one of his first batting practices. Fortunately, an MRI showed that not only was there no new strain, but that he was fully recovered from the one he battled at the end of 2023, as well. Cincinnati is optimistic he’ll only miss a week or so.