John Means Ruptures Achilles Before MLB Contract Signing

John Means, the 32-year-old former All-Star pitcher and free agent, ruptured his Achilles tendon during a training session on Tuesday, the same day he was scheduled to sign a contract with an unnamed team for the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

Means announced the injury in a social media post on Thursday, sharing that he underwent successful surgery the following day with Dr. Brian Vopat. "This is hard to put into words, but I'll try," he wrote. "On Tuesday, while training, I ruptured my Achilles. It happened the same day I was supposed to sign with a team and be available on Opening Day for the first time in a long time." He added that he had been enjoying his first healthy offseason in four years and felt better than ever before the setback. No specific recovery timeline was provided, though experts suggest such injuries typically require six to nine months of rehabilitation, potentially sidelining him for the entire 2026 season.

The injury marks another significant hurdle in a career derailed by health issues. A left-handed starter originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round of the 2014 MLB Draft, Means made his big-league debut in 2018. He broke out in...