Free agent left-hander John Means suffered an Achilles rupture while working out this week, he announced on social media. He underwent successful surgery yesterday. Means didn’t specify a recovery timeline but seems likely to miss the entire 2026 season.
It’s another devastating injury for a former All-Star whose career has been sidetracked by health issues. Means has made a total of 10 MLB appearances since the end of the 2021 season. He required Tommy John surgery early in ’22 and was sidelined until the following September. Means made it back for four regular season starts but missed the postseason because of renewed elbow soreness. That was an unfortunate precursor to a second elbow surgery, which he underwent after four starts in 2024.
Means has not appeared in the big leagues since then. He signed a $1MM contract with the Guardians last offseason. That came with a $6MM club option that gave Cleveland some upside if Means progressed well late in the season. He did make it onto the mound as part of a minor league rehab assignment but showed some understandable rust. Cleveland passed on the option and sent him back to free agency.
Making matters worse, Means said in his announcement that he was closing in on a contract with an unnamed team. That’s not going to go through now, though it’s possible his camp could look for a two-year minor league deal with an eye towards battling for a roster spot in Spring Training 2027. He’ll be approaching his 34th birthday by then and six years removed from his last mostly healthy season — a ’21 campaign in which he pitched to a 3.62 ERA across 26 starts for the Orioles.
That is absolutely brutal for Means. I thought his last arm injury was devastating but to tear your Achilles when you’re days away from a contract just sucks
Probably not a guaranteed one but definitely cost himself a bit.
Means to an end
Nope. Hard no on this one fella.
Agreed, using a guys last name in a pun can be funny, this ain’t one of those times. Feel bad for Means, not many guys have this long a run of bad luck.
Just purely for the resolve of human spirit, I hope he gets a chance to pitch in at least one more MLB game.
Damn. Poor guy.
Been nice knowing you John. It is a shame when healthy he was pretty good. But ten starts in five years is not a great track record.
Thanks for the insightful commentary there, Slappy.
Yeah that sucks. Take a 2 year, minor league deal with whoever you were close to signing with and come back in 2027
I feel for him but the dude is made out of the weakest of glass despite his efforts to make it strong
Means coming to an end.
Ouch. You gotta feel for the guy.
John used to means business, now he means injury after injury after injury. Brutal because dude really can pitch
Well, that sucks. Probably the end for him.
So much talent, but it seems he just keeps getting injured. Prayers up for him.
Injury after injury after injury. Teams staying away from him now…
Might be worth looking at other career paths at this point. Seems like his body just can’t do it anymore.
He’s made of glass
Hate to see it in general, as an O’s fan its even tougher to see after knowing how good a pitcher he had been while healthy. I don’t know if he’ll intend to try to comeback after this after all his previous injuries, but I hope he succeeds in whatever he tries to do.
Baseball can be a cruel sport. Some team dodged a bullet nevertheless terrible news for Means. I wish him the best.
Career earnings, $12 million. He’ll be find post baseball if that is his fate.
I root for WVU grads. This is so unfortunate
Guy can’t catch a break.
layventsky: Other than being blessed with the talent and ability to make it to MLB, which is better than more than 99.5% of the population.
He hasn’t exactly had a crappy life.
Achilles tendon injuries used to be very rare, and almost always afflicted older athletes. I don’t have the stats, but it seems that this injury has been been increasingly common. Didn’t some poor devil (don’t remember the sport) who blew both of them out at the same time a year or two back? It’s even stranger given that pro.athletes have scores of trainers who are really into stretching for flexibility. I’m not trying to imply anything in the case of Mr. Means, but one thing that is associated with an increased risk of ruptured tendons is over use of steroids, both the anti-inflammatory type and anabolic steroids. Of course everyone knows that it can’t be of the anabolic type, they are illegal, against the rules, and the various governing bodies have foolproof testing protocols. Well, at least surgery has come a long way over the years and guys often come back and play again. Back in the Day guys would come back. Driving a truck.
He will have a shot at coming back from this due to the fact that he pitches. Back before the DH he would be in the same boat as any other player who has to run the bases. Hope he can come back.
Cardinals will definitely sign him now
2 year deal 1 million this year and 10 million next year. I could actually see it with bloom
Hate it for the guy. Damn
Horrible news for Means. One of the good guys, too. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Wow, this guy has horrible luck.
‘Tang It: I repeat what I said elsewhere…
Other than being blessed with the talent and ability to make it to MLB, which is better than more than 99.5% of the population.
He hasn’t exactly had a crappy life.
Jeez, this guy’s baseball career is a country and western song. Hope he doesn’t have a dog.
His brother Jake was drafted by the Royals but they released him 2 years ago. He never made it to the bigs
Hate it 😥
AJ –
A good upside guy to make a minor league deal with and give an opt out if not on ML roster by 5/15/27.
This is squarely on evil Mike Elias and his arm destroying secret sauce strategy, if the strategy can take down a bull moose of man like Felix Bautista, Means didn’t stand a chance…he musta been compensating for the destroyed arm by using his Achilles in an unadvisable fashion…pretty sure that’s a common issue with pitchers who escape Elias’ TJ factory
AssumesFactNotInEvidence: Your handle perfectly sums up the stupidity of your own comment.
Teams are going to feast on Means clearance isle timeframe