How to Survive Giancarlo Stanton and 7 MLB Spring Training Injuries That Matter

There is good news and bad news regarding the injury situation a couple weeks into MLB's 2025 spring training season.

The good? There haven't been any weird injuries, a la tattoo-, scorpion- and phone book-related maladies of yore. Though, to be fair, some might disagree that this is good news.

Either way, the bad news is this: There is already a slate of injuries that have wreaked havoc on teams' well-laid plans for the 2025 season.

We're going to look at "seven" through a multi-use lens: one that sees the problem itself and one that sees potential solutions, be they in-house or out-of-house.

For the curious, those quotations are there because some injured players have been grouped together because they play for the same team, thereby exacerbating the problem.

Let's get to it.

The Problem

For the Brewers, the record scratched on DL Hall as soon as he reported for camp. The lefty has a lat injury that is going to keep him out of action for a while.

"He's had a little lat scare, so they've shut him down for a little bit of rehab," manager Pat Murphy told reporters. "We'll see how it goes. He's got probably another two weeks of no throwing—don't quote me on that—or maybe more."

The sidelines are a familiar place for Hall, who was meant to be one of the key pieces of last year's trade of Corbin Burnes. The erstwhile top prospect made only 13 appearances last year, posting a 5.02 ERA when he did pitch.

Blake Perkins, meanwhile, fractured his right shin on a foul ball. He'll be out until mid-April, if not May.

The Solution

With Manuel Margot and Mark Canha in camp on minor league deals, what was already a deep outfield has the manpower to hang in there amid Perkins' absence.

Hall's absence, on the other hand, looms that much larger with Brandon Woodruff's recovery from shoulder surgery still dragging on. The situation is such that Aaron Ashby, who's made two starts in two years, may be pressed into the rotation.

Newcomer Tyler Alexander could step up, and there are still unsigned free agents Milwaukee could consider. Spencer Turnbull, for example, could bring some upside on a minor league deal.

The unlikely, yet intriguing option in this scenario is Jacob Misiorowski. The 6'7", 197-pound righty's command needs work, but the stuff (i.e., 99 mph on the fastball) is electrifying indeed.

The Problem

Spencer Horwitz has yet to get a chance to make a first impression in a Pirates uniform, as he had surgery on his right wrist the week before camp opened.

His recovery time is six-to-eight weeks, effectively nixing him for Opening Day. It's a blow the Pirates didn't need, as Horwitz was meant to boost what was one of the weaker offenses in MLB in 2024.

The 27-year-old came to Pittsburgh in December as part of the deal that sent Andrés Giménez from Cleveland to Toronto. He had a low-key breakout in 2024, posting a .790 OPS with 12 home runs in 97 games.

The Solution

These are the Pirates we're talking about, so a free-agent signing is not to be counted on. Which is a shame, because guys like Anthony Rizzo and Aledmys Díaz are still out there.

It is more likely that the Bucs will stay in house, whether it's Jared Triolo, Adam Frazier or a non-roster invitee such as Darick Hall or DJ Stewart taking over at first base. Converting former No. 1 pick Henry Davis to the cold corner would be a novel concept, but that is strictly speculation.

If there's a big swing for the Pirates to take, it involves calling the Detroit Tigers about Spencer Torkelson. He is also a former No. 1 pick, but one who now finds himself in need of a change of scenery.

The Problem

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Alex Cobb has an injured hip.

No, not that one. As in, not the left one that required surgery in October 2023, which contributed to the veteran righty making only three regular-season appearances in 2024.

It's his right hip this time. It has inflammation, making it unlikely that he'll be part of the Tigers' Opening Day rotation. He might otherwise have been the No. 3 starter after aces Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty.

The Solution

The Tigers do have workable in-house replacements in their midst, including former top prospect Matt Manning and Keider Montero.

The latter has the distinction of having been Detroit's only viable starter apart from Skubal in the latter half of 2024. He posted a 3.79 ERA over 12 appearances after August 1, highlighted by a shutout on September 10.

Nonetheless, Detroit would be wise to throw a line out and see if any veteran free agents are willing to join up on a minor league deal. If not Lance Lynn or Kyle Gibson, then perhaps Patrick Corbin, Anthony DeSclafani or Alex Wood.

The Problem

Coming into the spring, the Red Sox's rotation was long on talent but short on potential durability.

To the latter, things have already taken a turn for the worse. Brayan Bello has right shoulder inflammation, while fellow righty Kutter Crawford has soreness in his right knee. Neither is a sure thing for Opening Day.

These guys were supposed to be two of Boston's better workhorses in 2025, at least if their 2024 seasons were anything to go off. Crawford led the team with 183.2 innings, with Bello ranking third with 162.1.

The Red Sox still have Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito. But of the four, only Houck doesn't have a major elbow surgery in his recent past.

The Solution

If Bello and Crawford aren't good to go on Opening Day, the Red Sox won't be able to hide the soft underbelly of their starting pitching depth.

The next man up is either Quinn Priester, Richard Fitts or Cooper Criswell. The first two used to be prospects of note, but not anymore. For his part, Criswell is a Quad-A/swingman type.

It wouldn't hurt the Red Sox to call Lynn and see what he's up to, especially since he could be valuable in a bullpen role if he were to be eventually nudged out of the rotation.

Given Boston's wealth of young hitters, a trade should be on the table as well. Among the top-flight arms they could hypothetically still go get are Dylan Cease, Michael King and Luis Castillo.

The Problem

They say variety is the spice of life, but here we have yet another would-be contender that is down two key arms.

In the case of the Reds, Andrew Abbott is behind other hurlers as he continues his recovery from a shoulder strain. Rhett Lowder is likewise behind after experiencing discomfort in his elbow in January.

Abbott was one of Cincinnati's more effective starters in 2024, posting a 3.72 ERA over 138 innings. Lowder isn't yet established, but is counted by MLB.com as the No. 35 prospect in baseball.

Whether this situation is more dire than the one in Boston is debatable, but here's the thing about the Reds: In that ballpark, anything less than a fully armed pitching staff is practically a death sentence.

The Solution

True, the Reds still have a budding ace in Hunter Greene and strong support in the trio of Brady Singer, Nick Martinez and Nick Lodolo.

Yet the Reds are not sitting idle. According to Robert Murray of FanSided, they are actively seeking pitching depth.

In addition to Gibson, Lynn, Corbin, Turnbull, DeSclafani and Wood, José Quintana is among those still looking for work. He's arguably worth the budget stretch for the Reds, as he'd bring stability to what generally feels like an unstable group.

If the Reds fancy a blockbuster trade, they're more likely for Cease or King than they are for Castillo. This is not to say any of the three is likely for them, but it's especially hard to imagine them absorbing their former ace's $72.6 million in remaining salary.

The Problem

Here we have yet another contender with banged-up hurlers. Except this time, the threat is less hypothetical and a whole lot more real.

Sean Manaea has an oblique strain and will not throw for two or three weeks. Frankie Montas has a lat strain and won't throw for six-to-eight weeks.

In other words, $109 million worth of pitching is unlikely to be a factor in the first couple weeks of the regular season.

Not ideal under any circumstances, but least of all in what looks like a stacked NL East. If the Mets want to mitigate their risk of finishing behind the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, they'd be wise to not leave not-quite-good-enough alone.

The Solution

After Montas got hurt, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported that the Mets were not expected to pursue outside pitching help.

You have to wonder if Manaea's subsequent injury changed things, but the Mets may still be able to ride out the bad times with what they have. Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill can start, and top prospect Brandon Sproat may be an option as well.

The situation is nonetheless calling out for a reunion with Quintana, who gave the Mets a 3.75 ERA over 170.1 innings last season. And in case anyone's wondering, the Mets' payroll is technically down relative to 2024.

A big swing on the trade market should also be in play. To wit, it was only a couple weeks ago that the Mets were reported to be discussing Cease with the San Diego Padres.

The Problem

The last time anyone saw Giancarlo Stanton on the field, he was helping to carry the Yankees through the 2024 playoffs with a seven-homer barrage.

Now the question is when will be the next time anyone sees the slugger between the lines. He's dealing with something akin to tennis elbow in both arms, with manager Aaron Boone saying Stanton's pain is "definitely not just soreness.”

Stanton is not even with the team currently, as he's back in New York for a "personal" matter. When he'll be back is something not even Boone knows:

The vibes are ominous, if not surprising. Though the 6'6", 245-pound Stanton is still good for a wallop when he's healthy, he largely hasn't been since 2019.

The Solution

In the short-term, the Yankees could turn to Ben Rice or Dominic Smith, who's in camp as a non-roster invitee, to spell Stanton. There's also top prospect Spencer Jones, who the Yankees are still high on even after a whiff-fueled 2024 season.

In the event that Stanton's elbows continue to make it impossible for him to so much as swing a bat, the Yankees will need to consider nuclear options.

On the free-agent market, J.D. Martinez is still looking for work. There are slimmer pickings on the trade market, but Luis Arraez is an option who has formerly been connected to the Yankees.

As for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the chances of a trade are likely one in a million. But since he doesn't have an extension and apparently no longer has a grudge against the Yankees, they may not be zero either.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.