You gotta feel for Nick Madrigal because despite his underwhelming time with the Cubs the infielder obviously had setbacks with various injuries in Chicago and that's been the biggest storyline in his career. Even when Madrigal was posting good results in his first two seasons with the White Sox he was derailed by season-ending injuries and now it appears as though he's suffered the same fate with his new team.
Madrigal signed a split contract with the New York Mets this offseason a few months after the Cubs non-tendered him in November. The right-handed hitter entered camp hoping to win a bench spot, but Madrigal didn't even get one plate appearance before suffering a devastating injury.
In the Mets' second spring training game Madrigal landed awkwardly after making an unbalanced throw from shortstop. Madrigal exited the game following the play in the very first inning with an injured left shoulder.
Nick Madrigal left the game for the Mets in West Palm Beach after charging a ground ball at shortstop
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 23, 2025
(via @masnNationals) pic.twitter.com/XPxyw63apt
On Friday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Madrigal suffered a fracture in his left shoulder and will likely miss the entire 2025 season once he undergoes surgery.
Nick Madrigal is likely out for the season pic.twitter.com/fqANa5JnEV
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 28, 2025
And just like that Madrigal's season with the Mets is over before it ever actually started.
Taken fourth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by the White Sox, Madrigal made his MLB debut in 2020. He missed a few weeks in the summer after separating his left shoulder sliding into third base against the Milwaukee Brewers. Madrigal bounced back and ended the year strong at the plate.
In 2021, Madrigal slashed .305/.349/.425, in 54 games, but then had a season-ending surgery on his right hamstring. That injury happened in June and Madrigal was traded to the Cubs a month later.
From 2022-24, Madrigal played in 202 games with the Cubs. He didn't have much sustained success at the plate and was on the injured list several times with hamstring and groin issues. In 2024, Madrigal was sent down to Triple-A and in his first game with the Iowa Cubs he was hit on the hand by a pitch, causing a fracture and ending Madrigal's season.
Brutal run of injuries for Madrigal, who had at least some glimpses of steadying his career in 20023, but it's been downhill ever since.
Madrigal, who will turn 28-years-old in March, has a career slash line of .274/.323/.344, in 940 plate appearances.
