Cincinnati Reds outfielder Michael Toglia will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in Cincinnati after an MRI on Monday revealed a torn labrum. The injury stems from a hard landing while making a diving catch during a game in Arizona on Friday.
Injury in Phoenix and Initial Hopes
The trouble began during the first inning of Friday’s series opener against Arizona at Chase Field, where Toglia fully extended to rob Geraldo Perdomo of an extra-base hit. Toglia landed awkwardly on the play, stayed down in immediate pain, and was tended to by the training staff before leaving the field.
“When you see somebody with a lump in their shoulder, you’re thinking long term.”
Terry Francona, Reds Manager, via MLB.com
Medical staff successfully popped the shoulder back into place on Friday, leading to brief optimism. Toglia expressed relief after X-rays came back negative, noting that he felt no pain and that his gentle range of motion appeared promising. The player even surprised team officials by removing his sling and attempting pregame activities the next day, according to reports from the Cincinnati Enquirer.
It’s definitely pretty sore from being out of place, but I’m not in any pain right now, and the gentle range of motion looked fantastic,
Toglia said on Friday. The whole time walking off the field it was out, and that was pretty painful. I definitely couldn’t move my arm.
Toglia had initially expressed optimism about his prognosis while speaking with reporters on Friday, indicating that the injury’s status might be subject to more of a day-to-day evaluation than a lengthy injured-list move. Francona also noted on Friday that Toglia’s injury may have looked worse than it was while the team awaited Monday’s MRI results.
They put it back in, and there’s some thought that he might be OK,
Francona said on Friday. It seems hard to imagine, but they can’t get an MRI tomorrow like they need to, so it’s going to be kind of on how he feels.
Monday MRI Results Confirm Season-Ending Labrum Tear
The optimism faded on Monday, August 24, when follow-up MRI results diagnosed a torn labrum alongside the initial dislocation. Francona acknowledged the player’s surprising persistence while confirming the definitive diagnosis, noting that Toglia had remained convinced he could play through the issue.
“Makes you do a double-take. Damn, man, that kid, he swore he was gonna play. When I saw him in the trainer’s room the next day, he was trying to do stuff. That’s pretty amazing to me.”
Terry Francona, Reds Manager, via USA Today
According to reporting from MLB Trade Rumors and Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, Toglia was scheduled to undergo the corrective operation in Cincinnati the following day, effectively closing the book on his 2026 campaign. The 28-year-old will spend the remainder of this season on the injured list, though Cincinnati can transfer him to the 60-day injured list if they want to open a 40-man roster spot before the end of the year. There is a decent chance the team will place Toglia on waivers at the beginning of the offseason, and he may be in for a second straight winter on a minor league contract.
Roster Shuffling and Cincinnati’s Outfield Depth
The abrupt end to Toglia’s season arrives just weeks after his promotion to the big league roster on August 11. He had earned the call after a productive stint in Triple-A, where he slashed .273/.373/.547 with 22 home runs and 26 doubles across 402 plate appearances. Following his promotion, he appeared in 10 games, going 2-for-26 with 12 strikeouts. Toglia had previously spent his entire career with the Rockies, and the 2019 first-rounder had a decent season two years ago before struggling last season, leading Colorado to non-tender him and prompting him to settle for an offseason minor league contract with the Reds.
To fill the active roster vacancy created by the injury, the Reds recalled utility man Ivan Johnson from Triple-A Louisville ahead of Sunday’s contest. Toglia was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to Sunday’s game. Toglia now faces a lengthy recovery period on the injured list, leaving Cincinnati to navigate the remainder of the season down another outfield option amidst a broader outfield injury crunch.
Cincinnati is also missing utility player Spencer Steer, whose season is likely over after being on the injured list since July 27. Steer is set to be re-evaluated the week of September 7, leaving little time to return to a lineup that finds itself eight games back in the National League Wild Card race. The Reds are additionally missing outfielder Blake Dunn, who was placed on the injured list on June 28 and is not expected back until the 2027 season.
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