Marlins place All-Star pitcher Max Meyer on IL with neck strain, timeline for return uncertain
Amid a battle to seize a playoff spot in the National League, the Miami Marlins are losing their best starting pitcher.
Max Meyer, who was named to the NL All-Star team, was placed on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain, the Marlins announced on Monday.
In 20 starts this season, Meyer has a 2.68 ERA, tied for ninth among MLB starting pitchers. Along with a 9-1 record, he's struck out 121 batters in 111 innings, ranking eighth in the majors.
In his first start since the All-Star break on Saturday, Meyer lasted only three innings in the Marlins' 8-6 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He gave up 2 runs and 3 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts on 74 pitches. It was the first outing in 10 days for Meyer, who did not pitch in the MLB All-Star Game, the longest span between starts in his career.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told reporters on Monday that Meyer "felt a little sensation in the neck area" in his July 7 start before the All-Star break. He pitched five innings in a 6-5 win over the Seattle Mariners, allowing 2 runs and 4 hits while throwing 80 pitches.
Meyer felt similar discomfort during Saturday's start during the third inning, according to McCullough. How long the four-year veteran could be out is uncertain.
Here’s Clayton McCullough on Max Meyer landing on the IL
— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) July 20, 2026
Said that Max reported the discomfort during his start against the Seattle Mariners.#Marlinspic.twitter.com/Zp63LfrdZE
"We are in uncharted territory with this," he added, via MLB.com. "But also, we don't have any concern as much as, we do the responsible thing is just to be aware and cognizant of we do have a young athlete that is and already has surpassed a number of career highs."
With his 111 innings, Meyer, 27, has nearly doubled the highest workload of his career. Last season, he threw 64 2/3 innings in 11 starts.
Meyer has now gone on the IL in each of his five years in the majors.
As a rookie, he only pitched in two games due to an elbow injury. That led to Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for the entire 2023 season. After returning in 2024, his season was cut short in September with bursitis in his right shoulder. Last season, Meyer tore the labrum in his left hip which required season-ending surgery in June.
The Marlins (52-48) have lost their past six games, following a six-game winning streak. That has dropped them into a virtual tie for the NL's third wild-card spot with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Arizona Diamondbacks only a half-game behind.
