Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas can be a real contributor when healthy.
If you want proof, just remember his stretch run and postseason performance last year.
Yes, the floor is also very, very low, but Thomas is a useful player.
His problem, in 2025, is that he hasn’t been healthy for a span of even a few weeks.
On April 8, he was hit by a pitch, and the lingering pain caused him to visit the injured list on April 22 with a bone bruise in his right wrist.
He returned in late May and re-entered the IL with a case of plantar fasciitis about a week later, on May 31.
He rushed his recovery, rejoined the Guardians on June 9, and was placed on the injured list again on July 6 with a re-aggravation of his plantar fasciitis.
Per MLB.com’s Jackson Stone, Thomas’ plantar fasciitis is more complex than the average, and he is not expected back soon.
“Stephen Vogt said Lane Thomas met with a doctor and now has a new plan for his ‘complicated case’ of plantar fasciitis. His foot continues to respond poorly to treatment, and it is not expected that he will be back in the immediate future,” he wrote on X.
Stephen Vogt said Lane Thomas met with a doctor and now has a new plan for his “complicated case” of plantar fasciitis.
His foot continues to respond poorly to treatment and is not expected that he will be back in the immediate future.
— Jackson Stone (@Jackson_Stoneee) July 26, 2025
Plantar fasciitis is an extremely complicated injury that requires a lot of rest to fully heal.
It wasn’t going away in 7-10 days like the Guardians and Thomas initially hoped.
Now, Thomas’ season is in jeopardy, and Cleveland is missing a viable center field solution or at least a backup.
He is set to hit the free agent market after the conclusion of the World Series with a paltry .160/.246/.272 line, a 48 wRC+, four homers, and four stolen bases in 39 games this year.
NEXT: Guardians Insider Predicts Veteran Infielder Will Be Traded
