MLB Baseball 8 Hours

Last updated: April 12, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

ALARMING INJURY BUG HITS ALTHLETIC TEAMS

A difficult Saturday of Major League Baseball saw multiple key players exit contests due to injury, threatening the outlook for several contenders. The Seattle Mariners edged the Astros 8-7, but Houston lost shortstop Jeremy Pena—who entered batting .256—in the fourth inning due to knee tightness. Compounding Houston's woes, rookie pitcher Tatsuya Imai returned early for testing on right arm fatigue following his third start, prompting manager Joe Espada to state the news was "just not good" for the club. The injury trend continued on the East Coast where the Baltimore Orioles placed catcher Adley Rutschman on the 10-day injured list due to left ankle inflammation before their contest against the Giants.

Further compounding roster concerns across the league, the Toronto Blue Jays lost outfielder George Springer in their 7-4 defeat against the Twins after a fractured big toe on his left foot was confirmed; Springer was already struggling offensively, batting just .189 with two home runs this season. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels also saw their starter depart early, as rookie right-hander George Klassen left the third inning against Cincinnati with a bruised nail on his right index finger. These physical setbacks occurred as the New York Mets suffered an 11-6 defeat to the Athletics, where shortstop Francisco Lindor committed his third miscue in two days, which manager Carlos Mendoza found "hard to explain" given the uncharacteristic nature of the errors.