World Baseball Classic hopes end for Corbin Carroll after suffering preseason hand injury

The Arizona Diamondbacks star had his Team USA dreams for the 2026 World Baseball Classic go up in smoke following a major preseason hand injury. An injury this week during a batting practice session caused the closest outfielder to the team to break the hamate bone in his right hand, and the injury in its own right was enough to take him out of the tournament. Carroll was also regarded as a possible key American contributor.It is also a major blow to the Diamondbacks in the fight against the new Major League Baseball season. Carroll had the fracture surgically repaired, and it is too early to tell how long the recovery will take. Although the operation went well, the injury will endanger his appearance on Opening Day, prompting both his club and national team to reassess their respective plans.Carroll sustained the injury while taking live swings during preseason workouts, a staple in spring training prep. One of many fractures of the right hamate bone experienced by vertical baseball hitters after a swing at high speed, loading the hand. Despite the size of the bone, recovery can be tricky and take extensive rehabilitation to full strength.Medical personnel promptly assessed the damage and suggested an operation, which Carroll underwent the following day. You can expect players who incur this type of fracture to miss, on average, multiple weeks, and may still take time beyond that to recover full grip strength and bat speed. That timeline is why the Diamondbacks are bracing for the worst, their star outfielder missing at least a portion of the early regular season schedule.This coming at this time is absolutely disastrous for Carroll. He was coming off another outstanding season and was eager to play for his country in one of baseball's premier international events. Now it will be 100 percent healed and back on the field for Arizona.The loss of Carroll is big for Team USA with only weeks to go before the World Baseball Classic. Because of his speed, his defense, and his developing power, he was a natural for the tournament. His absence means the American roster will have to turn to alternatives in the outfield and adjust its lineup strategy leading up to the first games.It means just as much for the Diamondbacks. Carroll has rapidly emerged as the face of the franchise and one of the more electrifying young players in MLB. The bat and the legs made up the integral change-factor for Arizona's success in recent weeks, but that kind of production will be difficult to replicate.