The Arizona Diamondbacks and Team USA just suffered a big blow. Star outfielder Corbin Carroll has been ruled out of the World Baseball Classic with a broken hamate bone in his right hand, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. He will undergo surgery on Wednesday, and his status for Arizona’s opening day is now in question.

“News: Arizona Diamondbacks star outfielder Corbin Carroll broke the hamate bone in his right hand and is undergoing surgery today, sources tell ESPN,” Passan tweeted. “He will miss the World Baseball Classic and his ability to play Opening Day is now in question.”

Carroll was one of four outfielders on the U.S. roster. With him out, it leaves Aaron Judge, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Byron Buxton, with Kyle Schwarber as designated hitter. It remains to be seen who will replace Carroll on the roster.

Losing Carroll is obviously disappointing news for both the Diamondbacks and Team USA. The two-time MLB All-Star has finished top six in National League MVP voting in two of his three full seasons in the big leagues.

Carroll faces tricky comeback from injury

The 2023 National League Rookie of the Year, Carroll broke onto the scene in 2023, his first full year in the majors. There, he hit .285 with 25 home runs and 76 RBI, stealing 54 bases.

Carroll’s production dipped a little bit in 2024, hitting .231 with 22 homers and 74 RBI with 35 stolen bases. But he bounced back in 2025, hitting .259 with 31 home runs, 84 RBI and 32 stolen bases.

Now, Carroll is facing rehab for the injured bone in his right hand. It won’t be an easy recovery, as Passan added after dropping the initial news.

“For those unfamiliar, the hamate bone — which could cause Corbin Carroll, Francisco Lindor and Jackson Holliday to miss Opening Day — is a small, hook-shaped bone on the palm, just underneath the pinky, that is particularly susceptible to breaking,” Passan added. “While the recovery is typically four to six weeks, hitters who undergo the surgery to fix it often talk about how their power takes months to return.

“It’s not like a soft-tissue injury; the return timeline on hamates is fairly straightforward. The time to full health, however, can be longer.”

The World Baseball Classic begins on March 5. The Diamondbacks begin their regular season on March 26 in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.