Evan Carter's FIFTH IL Stint Is Here, And His .176 Batting Average Is Just The Beginning Of The Story

Alright, Seattle, listen up, because while our Mariners were busy absolutely crushing it, some other big news just dropped around the league that's got us shaking our heads. The Texas Rangers' outfielder, Evan Carter, is hitting the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain. I mean, c'mon. This kid, who looked like a future superstar, is now sidelined *again*, and his season numbers are raising some serious red flags. The Rangers are calling up infielder/outfielder Cody Freeman from Triple-A Round Rock to fill the void, but let's be real, this isn't just a simple roster move.

The Evan Carter Rollercoaster Just Hit Another Dip

Seriously, this is getting frustrating to watch, even if it's not our guys. Carter left Friday's game against the Red Sox with soreness, and now we know why. This isn't just a minor setback, folks, this is the fifth time he's landed on the IL since his debut in September 2023. Think about that, FIVE times! The dude has played in only 108 of a possible 324 regular-season games over 2024 and 2025. Yeah, he was doing better this year, playing in 66 of their first 69 games, but now this oblique problem crops up, and those things often mean a long time off the field. Remember when Carter first broke into the bigs in September 2023? He slashed an insane .306/.413/.645 in 23 games, 75 plate appearances. He then went .300/.417/.500 in 72 trips to the plate during their World Series run. We all saw the potential! But 2024 brought lower back issues, limiting him to 45 games and a meek .188/.272/.361 with five home runs. Last year, 2025, he improved to .247/.336/.392 with five dingers and 14 stolen bases, but again, quad, back, and wrist troubles kept him to just 63 games. Now, this year, he's been their primary center fielder, but his bat has truly struggled. He's going on the shelf with a brutal .176/.292/.321 line, six homers, and 10 steals in 229 plate appearances. While his .209 batting average on balls in play hints at some bad luck, his expected batting average, expected slugging, and expected weighted on-base average are all in the bottom 19th percentile or worse. And don't even get me started on left-handed pitching: he's gone 1 for 27 with 11 strikeouts and just three walks against them. Michael Helman is stepping in at center today, with Wyatt Langford and Brandon Nimmo also having experience out there. This is a mess for the Rangers.

Skubal's Back, But Flaherty's Out: More Pitching Shakes

Meanwhile, over in Detroit, there's some good news for Tigers fans, though it comes with a trade-off. Superstar left-hander Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner, is officially back from the 15-day IL after six weeks away. This guy is electric! But to make room, they've placed right-hander Jack Flaherty on the 15-day IL with a left peroneal strain. They also called up infielder Hao-Yu Lee and optioned righty Ty Madden. Skubal is set to start Saturday against the Guardians, a team he's absolutely owned with a 2.33 ERA over 12 starts since 2020. His last MLB outing was a solid seven innings, two runs against the Braves on April 29, and he threw 54 pitches in his rehab start. What a pickup for their rotation! So, while one team gets a superstar arm back, another rising talent hits the IL yet again, struggling mightily at the plate. It just goes to show you how quickly things can change in this league, and how brutal injuries can be. Speaking of good news, our Mariners just crushed the Nationals 10-2! Keep that energy, Emerald City! Let's see how both of these situations play out in the coming weeks.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.