Opinion: Looking back at one of the wildest injuries in MLB history

Phil Maton (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

Two Major League Baseball players switched teams on Friday. According to Rogers Sportsnet, the Miami Marlins traded outfielder Joey Wiemer of Sylvania, Ohio to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations, and the Chicago Cubs have signed pitcher Phil Maton of Paducah, Kentucky to a two-year contract. The financial terms of Maton’s contract have not been disclosed.

Wiemer is joining his fourth Major League Baseball team. He has previously played two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, and one season each with the Cincinnati Reds and the Miami Marlins.

In 2025 with Miami, Wiemer is batting .236 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in. During 27 games, 61 plate appearances, and 55 at bats, Wiemer scored seven runs, and had two doubles, two walks, 24 total bases, two sacrifice bunts, an on base percentage of .279 and a slugging percentage of .436.

Maton is joining his eighth MLB team. He was previously with the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets and Texas Rangers. Last year with the Cardinals and Rangers, Maton pitched in 63 games and had a record of four wins and five losses with an earned run average of 2.79. In 61 1/3 innings pitched, Maton had five saves, 22 holds, and gave up 42 hits, 19 earned runs, three home runs and 23 walks, to go along with 81 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hots per innings pitched) of 1.06.

While with Astros in 2022, Maton suffered one of the wackiest injuries of all-time. After pitching to his brother Nick while Nick was with the Philadelphia Phillies, he gave up a single. Phil was not pleased, went to his locker and punched it. He broke his hand, and missed the rest of the season. Maton did win a World Series in 2022 even though he did not pitch in the playoffs.