Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll will reportedly miss the World Baseball Classic and is in danger of missing Opening Day due to a broken hamate bone in his right hand, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The 25-year-old Carroll reportedly sustained the injury during batting practice Tuesday.
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Carroll wasn’t the only player to sustain a hamate bone injury Tuesday. Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday will also miss time this season due to the same injury.
Carroll’s injury comes as a massive blow to both Team USA and the Diamondbacks. He was likely to be one of Team USA’s starting outfielders in the World Baseball Classic. With Carroll sidelined, Minnesota Twins star Byron Buxton could be in line for more playing time in the tournament, and Team USA will likely add another outfielder to its roster as Carroll’s replacement.
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It’s an even bigger loss for the Diamondbacks, who have gotten two fantastic seasons from Carroll since he made his major-league debut in 2022. After a bit of a down year in 2024, Carroll bounced back with a .259/.343/.541 slash line in 2025. That performance was good enough to send him to his second All-Star Game, win him a Silver Slugger and help him finish sixth in the MVP voting.
While Carroll has battled ailments throughout his career, he has never been at risk of missing significant time due to an injury. He might not miss much time in 2026, either, as the recovery time from hamate bone surgery is roughly four-to-six weeks.
But even if Carroll is able to return by — or shortly after — Opening Day, he could battle lingering effects from the surgery. Players who sustain hamate bone injuries typically take some time to fully recover their power. That could be a significant limitation for Carroll, who hit a career-high 31 home runs last season.
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That will also be a concern for Holliday, whom the Orioles have already ruled out for Opening Day. Holliday, 22, doesn’t rely on his power as much, but he could still experience aftereffects from the surgery. Holliday is coming off a season in which he slashed .242/.314/.375 over 649 plate appearances. He was expected to open camp as the team’s starter at second base and likely would’ve been a popular breakout candidate due to his status as the former No. 1 overall prospect.
In addition to those two, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor will also be sidelined in spring training due to a hamate bone injury. Lindor’s injury was reported Tuesday, and he reportedly had surgery on Wednesday. He is still expected to be ready for Opening Day.