CHICAGO – The news had to feel like a case of déjà vu.
Just four days after placing catcher Gabriel Moreno on the IL when it was revealed his hand contusion was actually a hairline fracture, the D-backs were once again anxiously awaiting MRI results.
This time, it was for star outfielder Corbin Carroll, who hadn’t played since taking a fastball to his left wrist on June 18 in Toronto. X-rays were negative, but as the healing process dragged on, Carroll was sent for an MRI when the club arrived in Chicago for its series against the White Sox.
The hope was the D-backs would receive different news than what they heard with Moreno, that they wouldn’t have to add yet another name to their lengthy injured list. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
MRI results revealed Carroll suffered a chip fracture in his wrist. While both he and the team are still gathering information on the recovery process, the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year will be heading to the IL.
“You try and play and get treatment, and hopefully it feels better after a day or two,” Carroll said. “As it didn’t, it became apparent that maybe a few more tests were needed. Got those done, it’s just unfortunate.”
The D-backs maintained initial optimism for Carroll, even as his time out of the lineup lingered into last weekend’s series in Colorado. Though he didn’t play Friday night, manager Torey Lovullo noted Carroll was available off the bench before the following game. Even ahead of Monday’s 10-0 win over the White Sox, the 24-year-old claimed he was willing to pinch-run or serve as a defensive substitution as the club awaited word on his MRI.
By the end of the game, both Carroll and the D-backs were left to piece together what those results mean for his foreseeable future.
“That’s still a little bit confusing to all of us,” Lovullo said of the chip fracture diagnosis. “It’s on the back of his hand. There’s definitely that fracture in there. He’s going to continue to get some opinions just to find out what that official diagnosis means and what the time frame will be.”
Added Carroll: “I don’t have too great of an understanding of what it is. I know it hurts. Hoping for a shorter term [IL stint]. I’ve never experienced a bone break before, so I’m still just gathering information, and [we’ll] see where we’re at tomorrow.”
It’s another blow for a team that has had to withstand tons of them this month alone. Arizona has already lost three pitchers – Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk – to season-ending elbow surgeries. Adding Moreno and Carroll, along with Monday’s injury scares for Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor, almost feels like overkill.
But as Carroll heads back to Arizona for further testing, the D-backs remain focused solely on what they have been all month – trying as hard as they can to not let the news of another devastating injury derail their season.
“I’m proud of this team for fighting and just blocking that out, going out and competing between the white lines,” Lovullo said. “It’s part of the game, but we’ve taken on a lot, there’s no denying that. A lot of teams have. I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for us. But it’s our turn to go out there and figure out how to get the job done, and that’s where my main focus is right now.”