Packy Naughton, a 29-year-old pitcher, faced another setback in his career when he left his 2026 debut with the St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate after just three pitches due to an elbow injury. This injury occurred while facing Korey Lee of the Chicago White Sox's minor league team. Naughton had shown promise during spring training, posting a 1.29 ERA in seven appearances, and was on track to make his first MLB appearance since 2023. His journey has been fraught with challenges, including a torn flexor tendon that led to season-ending Tommy John surgery and sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. The Cardinals re-signed him to a two-year deal, anticipating his return to form in 2026. In the interim, Naughton obtained his real estate license, which he described as a way to stay engaged while recovering. His career began when he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth round of the 2017 MLB Draft, later being traded to the Los Angeles Angels, where he made his MLB debut in 2021. Over his three MLB seasons, he has a 4.98 ERA across 37 games.