Watch Those Fingers! A Roundup of Recent Injuries Among the NL Contenders

It’s been a rough season for Francisco Alvarez — and specifically his hands. The 23-year-old catcher fractured a hamate in his left hand while taking batting practice on March 8, and after undergoing surgery, missed the first four weeks of the regular season. He scuffled upon returning, to the point that the Mets optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse in late June, but particularly since returning in late July, he hit well until he sprained the ulnar collateral ligament of his right thumb (as opposed to the UCL of his elbow) while making a headfirst slide on August 17. The injury, which requires surgery to fix, appeared to be season-ending, but to the Mets’ surprise, Alvarez has been able to swing the bat without pain, so he began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. Unfortunately, in his third plate appearance of the game, he was hit on the left pinkie by an 89-mph sinker and had to leave the game.

Alvarez, who also missed seven weeks last year due to surgery to repair a torn UCL in his left thumb, was sent for testing after being removed. At this writing, the Mets have yet to reveal his prognosis, but this may set back his return, and he’ll still need another surgery this offseason. When available, he’s been one of the Mets’ more productive hitters, a big step up from the team’s other catchers on the offensive side. In 56 games, he’s hit for a career high 125 wRC+ (.265/.349/.438) with seven homers in 209 plate appearances, good for 1.4 WAR. Luis Torrens, who hit well while serving as the team’s regular catcher during Alvarez’s early-season absence, has slumped to the point that he’s batting .218/.282/.320 (73 wRC+) in 245 PA, and third-stringer Hayden Senger has been even less productive, hitting .180/.227/.197 (22 wRC+) in 67 PA.

[Update: On Thursday afternoon, Alvarez revealed that his pinkie is fractured. He said he hopes to play again this season, but a timeline for that has yet to be determined.]

The Mets, who are now 72-61, just swept a three-game series against the Phillies (76-57) at Citi Field to pull within four games of the NL East leaders. They’ve won eight of their last 11 games after losing 14 of 16 from July 28 to August 15, a skid that bumped them down to third in the NL Wild Card race, though they now have a 4 1/2-game cushion over the Reds (68-66). They’ve got some other injuries that could affect their drive for a playoff spot, but in that, they’re not alone. What follows here is a roundup of fairly recent injuries among NL contenders, some that slipped through the cracks in our coverage during recent weeks and others that merit mention so long as we’re on the topic; an alarming number of these involve fingers. I’ll go division-by-division, and follow this with a similar AL roundup.

NL East

On the subject of the Mets and the other type of UCL, Frankie Montas, who didn’t make his season debut until June 24 due to a high-grade lat strain suffered in spring training, is done for the year due to a UCL sprain that manager Carlos Mendoza described as “pretty significant.” Thus ends a nightmare of a season for the 32-year-old righty, who pitched to a 6.28 ERA in 38.2 innings and was sent to the bullpen earlier this month. Now Montas, who already missed nearly all of 2023 while with the Yankees after undergoing shoulder surgery, may need Tommy John surgery, costing him all of ’26. He’s protected financially, at least, via a $17 million player option for next season.

Elsewhere in the Mets’ bullpen, 32-year-old righty Reed Garrett, whose 53 appearances and 51.1 relief innings both lead the team, has landed on the IL due to right elbow inflammation. Garrett generally served as the Mets’ eighth-inning setup man ahead of closer Edwin Díaz until the Mets added relievers Tyler Rogers, Ryan Helsley, and Gregory Soto at the trade deadline. He had a 2.45 ERA and 2.64 FIP as of August 9, but allowed eight runs over his next five appearances, ballooning those figures to 3.61 and 3.32. The Mets do expect him back, possibly after the 15-day minimum stay on the IL (he’s eligible to return on September 7); he’s currently recovering from a cortisone shot. While Rogers and Soto have both posted sub-2.00 ERAs since the trade, Helsley has been lit for a 10.38 ERA and been charged with four blown saves in 8.2 innings as a Met. Being forced to shift him to a lower-leverage role while additionally losing Garrett is less than ideal.

Turning to the Phillies, there’s good news and bad regarding Zack Wheeler, who was sidelined by a blood clot near his right shoulder earlier this month. On Sunday came word that the 36-year-old righty has been diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. He’ll undergo surgery to remove a rib and decompress the blood vessels. The Phillies estimate that he’ll need six to eight months to recover, not only ruling out October but putting next Opening Day in doubt. Fortunately, this kind of TOS is less serious than the neurogenic TOS that derailed the careers of Stephen Strasburg and Chris Archer, among others. Merrill Kelly is the oft-cited example; he underwent rib removal surgery on September 9, 2020, was back for the start of the ’21 season, and has generally been an effective pitcher since. A more resounding success story is that of Kenny Rogers, who underwent surgery for venous TOS in 2001, when he was 36, and returned to make three All-Star teams during his late 30s and early 40s.

Taijuan Walker, who has a 3.44 ERA but a 4.78 FIP in 96.2 innings as a swingman, has been tasked with filling Wheeler’s rotation spot. That’s a tall order given that Wheeler, who made his third All-Star team this year, has pitched to a 2.71 ERA, 2.91 FIP and an NL-best 33.3% strikeout rate in 140.2 innings.

NL Central

It’s been a good year for closer Trevor Megill, who made his first All-Star team and has notched 30 saves while posting a 2.54 ERA and 2.56 FIP in 46 innings. Alas, after blowing three out of his last four save chances, he landed on the IL on Wednesday due to a Grade 1 flexor strain in his right forearm. The 31-year-old righty said that he’d tried to push through symptoms he’d been feeling for a week, that the injury isn’t too serious, and that he’s “taking a step back and getting this right for the postseason.” Top setup man Abner Uribe, who’s notched three saves while posting a 1.71 ERA and 2.86 FIP in 63.1 innings, is likely to be first in line for save chances.

The Brewers, who at 83-51 lead the NL Central by 6 1/2 games, could get a few injured players back very soon. Both center fielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Rhys Hoskins have begun rehab assignments at Triple-A Nashville. The 21-year-old Chourio, who has hit .276/.311/.474 (116 wRC+) with 17 homers and 18 steals, has been out since July 29 due to a right hamstring strain; he began his rehab assignment last Friday and could be back with the big club this weekend. The 32-year-old Hoskins, who has hit .242/.340/.428 (114 wRC+) with 12 homers, suffered a Grade 2 sprain of the UCL of his left thumb on July 5; he began his rehab assignment on August 19 and should return soon as well, though he may have to fight for playing time once he’s back given that Andrew Vaughn, whom the team acquired from the White Sox on June 13, is hitting a torrid .297/.371/.520 (147 wRC+). Shortstop Joey Ortiz, who has hit .294/.330/.394 (104 wRC+) since the All-Star break after landing on my Replacement-Level Killers list due to a 61 wRC+ in the first half, was placed on the IL due to a left hamstring strain last Friday; he’s expected to return when eligible on September 1.

Not wanting to be left behind in the division’s thumb injury race, Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson fractured his left thumb while catching a pitch on August 15, an injury that wasn’t discovered until a few days later after persistent discomfort led the Reds to send him for an X-ray. Earlier this week, he was fitted for a custom protective sleeve for the digit and was able to play catch and do some light drills without discomfort. He’ll ramp up the intensity of his catching work and is scheduled to take batting practice on Friday; the expectation is that he’ll return in early September. The 29-year-old Stephenson is hitting a modest .226/.313/.393 (92 wRC+), a stronger performance than Jose Trevino (.245/.285/.373, 76 wRC+), with whom he’s split duties this season.

Meanwhile, while the Reds activated Nick Lodolo from the IL on Wednesday after he missed three weeks with a blister, they lost setup man Graham Ashcraft to a forearm strain. After struggling as a starter from 2022–24, the 27-year-old righty has caught on in the bullpen, putting up a 3.72 ERA and 2.88 FIP in 58 innings. The Reds are hopeful he’ll return after the 15-day minimum stay on the IL, and the bullpen should benefit with the shift of Nick Martinez from the rotation with the return of Lodolo.

Shortly after colleague Michael Baumman wrote about Kyle Tucker’s extended slump, ESPN reported that he had been playing through a hairline fracture to his right hand, later confirmed to be his right ring finger, which he jammed during a slide into second base on June 1. Tucker hit just .236/.352/.368 (109 wRC+) from July 2 to August 18, when Cubs manager Craig Counsell sat him for a couple of games. Since returning to the lineup, he’s hit .304/.385/.739 with three homers in 26 PA, and he’s currently riding a five-game hitting streak for the Cubs (76-57).

NL West

The Dodgers could fill a whole column with their injuries, but for all of their volume, they’re trending towards getting healthier. Max Muncy, who missed nearly all of July due to a bone bruise in his left knee, landed on the injured list again on August 15 due to a right oblique strain. After a slow start, the 35-year-old third baseman has hit a robust .258/.389/.491 (146 wRC+) with 17 homers in 347 PA. He’s begun facing live pitching again, and the hope is that he can join the Dodgers sometime during next week’s road trip, perhaps next weekend in Baltimore. The Dodgers — who at 77-57 lead the Padres (75-59) by two games in the NL West — have been a much better team when he plays, going 54-35 with him and 23-22 without.

As of Tuesday, the Dodgers have Enrique Hernández back from a bout of elbow inflammation that sidelined him since early July; he’s likely to share time at third base with rookie Alex Freeland in Muncy’s absence while also spotting at other positions. Rookie Hyeseong Kim, who’s been out since late July due to a bout of bursitis in his left shoulder, began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on August 21. While the 26-year-old Kim has played 38 games at second base, 16 in center field, and eight at shortstop for the Dodgers, at OKC he’s getting reps in left field, a position he hasn’t played since 2020 in the KBO but one where the Dodgers have had a season-long drain on their offense via Michael Conforto. Kim, who has hit .304/.338/.406 (109 wRC+) while largely being shielded from lefties, should rejoin the Dodgers when rosters expand on September 1. Likewise for Tommy Edman, who sprained his right ankle in early August; he’s ramping up a running progression and working towards a rehab stint. After a hot start, Edman has hit just .228/.281/.396 (87 wRC+), but given last October’s heroics, including his NLCS MVP award, the Dodgers are keeping a roster spot warm for him.

On the pitching side, the Dodgers just lost lefty Alex Vesia to an oblique strain. The 29-year-old southpaw is second on the team with 59 appearances, and has a 2.75 ERA and 3.79 FIP in 52.1 innings. The Dodgers believe he won’t be down for more than the minimum. For Sunday’s series finale against the Padres — which they won 8-2 to prevent a sweep and reclaim a share of first place — they activated both Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates; Scott was out for just over a month due to elbow inflammation while Yates missed three weeks due to lower back pain. Michael Kopech, who didn’t make his season debut until June 8 due to a shoulder impingement, underwent a right knee meniscectomy on July 9. He’s made six rehab appearances at OKC but has struggled with his control, walking six while striking out four in five innings; he’ll be activated when rosters expand in September. Meanwhile, the timeline for when Roki Sasaki will return to Los Angeles is unclear. Sidelined since mid-May due to a shoulder impingement, he was unimpressive in his early rehab efforts in terms of velocity and control, but he showed improvement in his third rehab start for OKC on Tuesday, averaging 96.4 mph with his four-seamer and topping out at 98.8 during a 3 2/3-inning stint in which he allowed three earned runs while walking two and striking out four. With the Dodgers’ six-man rotation putting up a 3.28 ERA and 3.12 FIP this month, there’s no particular urgency for Sasaki’s return; he could work as a spot starter or out of the bullpen.

For their part, the Padres are trying to keep pace without two of their best. Right as they were about to begin their six-games-in-10-days stretch with the Dodgers on August 15, they lost Michael King again. When available, King has been the Padres’ co-ace alongside Nick Pivetta, with a 2.81 ERA, 3.30 FIP and 27.5% strikeout rate, but the 30-year-old righty managed just one start of two-plus innings between an 11-week absence due to a pinched thoracic nerve and then a bout of left knee inflammation. King threw a 44-pitch simulated game on Saturday and will throw at least one more sim game before his return. Deadline acquisition JP Sears has been filling his rotation spot lately, but he’s carrying a 4.95 ERA and 5.01 FIP in 125.2 innings between the A’s and Padres this year, with worse numbers since the trade. Given that he was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday, it’s unclear who will take the next start in what’s normally King’s spot.

In that August 15 series opener against the Dodgers, Jackson Merrill rolled his left ankle while coming out of the batters’ box, suffering both a sprain and a bone bruise. He played through the injury that night and the next, but exited the Padres’ August 17 game in the fourth inning. The Padres hoped he would rebound quickly, but he didn’t play again before being placed on the IL on August 23, retroactive to August 20 — as far back as the team was allowed to backdate the stint. This is the 22-year-old center fielder’s third IL stint of the season; he’s been limited to 91 games and a modest .261/.317/.413 (105 wRC+) line while missing time due to a right hamstring strain and a concussion as well. He did some light on-field work on August 26, and the team is hoping to activate him when eligible on August 30. Ramón Laureano, their most impactful deadline acquisition thus far, has been manning center in his absence while Gavin Sheets, who had been scrambling for playing time since the additions of both Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn, is back in left and swinging a hot bat. With O’Hearn heating up as well, Merrill’s return could allow manager Mike Shildt to sit Luis Arraez, who has struggled mightily in August.