Michael Toglia Headed for Shoulder Surgery After Diving Catch Disaster
MLB Trade Rumors reported the surgery announcement following his exit from Friday's game.
Michael Toglia is officially heading for shoulder surgery, proving once again that no good deed goes unpunished in professional baseball. The Cincinnati Reds utility man dislocated his right shoulder making a diving catch on a Geraldo Perdomo line drive last Friday, and now MLB Trade Rumors reports he is going under the knife to fix the damage.
It is a brutal break for a guy who was finally getting a real runway to prove he belongs in the big leagues. Toglia landed awkwardly on his glove arm in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks, immediately signaling for the trainers in visible pain before being replaced by TJ Friedl.
The timing could not be worse for the 28-year-old switch-hitter. Toglia had just been called up on August 11 after mashing 22 home runs in Triple-A Louisville. With the Reds trading away Nathaniel Lowe at the deadline and losing Spencer Steer to a wrist strain, Cincinnati had cleared a wide-open path for Toglia to get everyday at-bats at first base and in the outfield.
Instead of an extended audition, he gets an extended rehab. Toglia is the ultimate three-true-outcomes lottery ticket. He has 42 career major league home runs and a massive 35 percent strikeout rate, meaning every time he steps to the plate, you are either getting a majestic moonshot or a breeze strong enough to power a small wind turbine.
For anyone trying to handicap the Reds down the stretch, this injury scrambles the depth chart yet again. Cincinnati recalled Ivan Johnson to take Toglia's roster spot, but the lineup loses a serious power threat. Bettors looking at daily bases props will have to adjust to a Reds lineup leaning heavier on guys like Sal Stewart and Eugenio Suarez to generate run support in the middle of the order.
Toglia is out of minor league options, meaning he had to stick on the active roster or face being designated for assignment. Now, his season is over, and his 2027 status is a giant question mark. The Reds will spend the final month of the season patching together their outfield, while Toglia starts the grueling process of getting his shoulder ready for spring training.