Injuries are an unfortunate reality in baseball, and sometimes, all it takes is one to derail a promising career. Whether it was a freak accident, a chronic issue that started with one bad turn, or just a moment of bad luck, these players saw their momentum vanish after that one dreaded injury.
Some were rising stars. Others were already established names. But after their body gave out, they were never the same again. Here are 17 MLB players who faded after one injury changed everything.
17. Rick Ankiel
Ankiel’s arm was electric until it wasn’t. A throwing-related injury helped turn the promising pitcher into an outfielder, and while his second act was admirable, the magic was never quite the same.
16. Grady Sizemore
Once the face of Cleveland’s future, Sizemore’s knee and back issues started stacking up after one big injury. Before long, the five-tool star became a cautionary tale.
15. Mark Prior
Prior looked like a generational ace until injuries took over. One shoulder problem turned into a career-long fight for survival on the mound.
14. Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar was right there with Jeter and A-Rod in the shortstop conversation. But a wrist injury took away his bat speed, and he never fully recovered.
13. Brandon Webb
Webb won a Cy Young and seemed destined for more. Then his shoulder gave out, and he was out of baseball before 30.
12. David Wright
Wright was a fan favorite and the heart of the Mets. But spinal stenosis and other injuries—starting with one bad hit-by-pitch—led to a slow, painful fade.
11. Eric Chavez
Chavez had Gold Gloves and big-time pop, but his back issues started with one awkward play. From there, it was all downhill.
10. Rich Harden
When Harden was healthy, he was nasty. But one early injury opened the floodgates for a career full of “what ifs.”
9. Troy Tulowitzki
Tulo’s game had everything—power, defense, leadership. Then the injuries started rolling in, beginning with one bad quad injury that marked the beginning of the end.
8. Chris Carpenter
Carpenter was a bulldog on the mound, but an arm injury cut short his dominance. After that, he couldn’t stay on the field consistently.
7. Carl Crawford
Crawford’s speed and athleticism made him a nightmare for pitchers—until a hamstring injury slowed him down for good. He never quite found that extra gear again.
6. Dustin Pedroia
Pedroia was all heart and hustle, but a slide at second base wrecked his knee. After that one injury, his gritty style couldn’t save him.
5. Johan Santana
Santana threw a no-hitter and then never pitched in the majors again. That shoulder injury after years of heavy use was the final blow.
4. Matt Kemp
Kemp was an MVP-caliber player before a shoulder injury sapped his power and range. He had a few comebacks, but that dominant version never returned.
3. Kerry Wood
Wood’s 20-strikeout game is still legendary, but elbow issues popped up soon after. That one injury was the first of many that turned him into a reliever.
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2. Buster Posey
Posey came back and had a solid career, but that brutal home-plate collision changed his trajectory. He lost some of that youthful spark and power after the injury.
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1. Bo Jackson
Bo’s hip injury while playing football derailed what could’ve been a legendary MLB career. He returned to baseball, but the explosiveness was never quite the same.
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