The Cardinals have signed Packy Naughton to a two-year minor league contract, as the left-hander announced on his Instagram. The contract’s length is due to another significant injury setback, as Naughton shared that he had UCL reconstruction surgery last July. Previously, he was recovering from flexor tendon surgery in June 2023 but suffered a re-tear in addition to the UCL injury.
Naughton didn’t specify if he had full Tommy John surgery or a brace procedure, though either way, a return before the 2025 season’s end seems unlikely. The two-year deal thus gives him time for a full rehab while keeping him under St. Louis’ control, with hopes for a comeback in 2026.
Naughton, who debuted in the majors with the Angels in 2021, joined the Cardinals through a waiver claim before the 2022 season. Across 59 2/3 innings in 37 MLB games, he holds a 4.98 ERA, last pitching in the majors on April 7, 2023. He made one Triple-A appearance after that before his first surgery, and pitched 20 1/3 innings over three levels in the Cardinals’ minor league system this year before injuries halted his progress again.
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