It’s thumbs up for Alex Bregman, thumbs down for Baker Mayfield—and a very busy Monday on Injury Territory.

Will Carroll starts with the remarkable return of Alex Bregman, who came back from facial fractures and promptly hit two home runs on Sunday. We look at what his performance tells us about the recovery, why facial fractures can create more problems than the injury initially suggests, and what Bregman’s return means heading into October.

The news isn’t nearly as encouraging for Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers quarterback suffered a thumb UCL sprain, an injury that matters enormously for anyone whose job involves gripping and throwing a football. Will explains the anatomy, what determines whether the ligament can heal without surgery, when an internal-brace repair becomes an option, and why Mayfield could be looking at a significant recovery.

With the MLB postseason here, we also dig into playoff rosters. October forces teams to make very different calculations about injured players: Who is healthy enough to contribute now? Who can survive a short series? And when does carrying an injured star create more problems than it solves?

Then it’s back to the NFL, where apparently knees and ankles have decided they’d like some airtime too. We work through the latest NFL knee injuries and take a closer look at one wide receiver’s troublesome ankle—because the diagnosis on the injury report doesn't always tell you what actually matters for performance or return to play.

Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Kalshi - kalshi.com/r/BASEBALL Deposit and place at least $25 in total trades using code BASEBALL to unlock $55 reward. 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.

It&rsquo;s thumbs up for Alex Bregman, thumbs down for Baker Mayfield&mdash;and a very busy Monday on Injury Territory. Will Carroll starts with the remarkable return of Alex Bregman, who came back from facial fractures and promptly hit two home runs on Sunday. We look at what his performance tells us about the recovery, why facial fractures can create more problems than the injury initially suggests, and what Bregman&rsquo;s return means heading into October. The news isn&rsquo;t nearly as encouraging for Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers quarterback suffered a thumb UCL sprain, an injury that matters enormously for anyone whose job involves gripping and throwing a football. Will explains the anatomy, what determines whether the ligament can heal without surgery, when an internal-brace repair becomes an option, and why Mayfield could be looking at a significant recovery. With the MLB postseason here, we also dig into playoff rosters. October forces teams to make very different calculations about injured players: Who is healthy enough to contribute now? Who can survive a short series? And when does carrying an injured star create more problems than it solves? Then it&rsquo;s back to the NFL, where apparently knees and ankles have decided they&rsquo;d like some airtime too. We work through the latest NFL knee injuries and take a closer look at one wide receiver&rsquo;s troublesome ankle&mdash;because the diagnosis on the injury report doesn't always tell you what actually matters for performance or return to play.
Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: <a href="https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10">seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10</a> Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Kalshi - <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/BASEBALL">kalshi.com/r/BASEBALL</a> Deposit and place at least $25 in total trades using code BASEBALL to unlock $55 reward. 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.

Will Carroll is a leading voice at the intersection of sports medicine, analytics, and the business of baseball. His work has been cited across Major League Baseball front offices, broadcast booths, and training rooms, often shaping how injuries are discussed and understood at the highest levels of the sport.

 

Will hosts Injury Territory, a show that explores what actually happened, why it matters, and what comes next. No panic or hot takes - just context about injuries. Part of the Foul Territory Network

Will Carroll is a leading voice at the intersection of sports medicine, analytics, and the business of baseball. His work has been cited across Major League Baseball front offices, broadcast booths, and training rooms, often shaping how injuries are discussed and understood at the highest levels of the sport.
&nbsp;
Will hosts Injury Territory, a show that explores what actually happened, why it matters, and what comes next. No panic or hot takes - just context about injuries. Part of the Foul Territory Network

Injury Territory

Thumps Up for Bregman, Thumbs Down for Mayfield

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6ea4e45d-59ad-4061-9378-b4d30170017f/transcript