Cardinals pitcher attempting MLB comeback sustains crushing arm injury just 3 pitches into his outing

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St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Packy Naughton cannot catch a break.

Naughton, 29, was pitching in the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate on Wednesday attempting an MLB comeback when he appeared to sustain another arm injury just three pitches into his latest outing.

Naughton fired a 1-1 pitch well wide of the strike zone and immediately grabbed his left elbow. He took a couple of paces toward home plate before bending over in pain. He eventually walked off with a trainer while holding his left arm.

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Cardinals relief pitcher Packy Naughton pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 2, 2023. (Jeff Curry/USA Today Sports)

"That’s never a good sign," Charlotte Knights announcer Matt Swierad said during the broadcast. "Hopefully nothing too serious there, just something he was trying to be cautious about."

Naughton’s unfortunate run of arm injuries began in 2023 when he tore his flexor tendon after four scoreless appearances, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. In 2024, while rehabbing, Naughton re-tore the flexor tendon in addition to tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow.

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St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Packy Naughton on the field in Jupiter, Florida, on Feb. 17, 2026. (Jim Rassol/Imagn Images)

He underwent Tommy John surgery to repair his UCL and missed both the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Despite the injuries, Naughton signed a two-year minor league deal at the end of the 2024 season. The Cardinals knew he would be