Cleveland Guardians' CJ Kayfus will miss the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing ankle surgery.
The Cleveland Guardians have battled their fair share of injuries at the big-league level this season. Angel Martinez and Jose Ramirez are finally getting closer to making a return.
It’s been a similar story in the Minor Leagues, too. Top pitching prospect Kahl Stephen is set to undergo major elbow surgery, and Cleveland announced that another one of their
CJ Kayfus is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on Friday to repair a right ankle injury, along with a fractured fibula and a ligament injury.
Kayfus initially sustained the injury last Sunday when the Columbus Clippers were taking on the Legh Valley Iron Pigs. His cleat appeared to get caught, resulting in an awkward slide into second base.
The good news is that Kayfus is expected to make a full recovery and be back in time for Spring Training in 2027.
Sep 14, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman C.J. Kayfus (63) celebrates after the Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesKayfus made Cleveland’s Opening Day roster back in March after putting together a solid spring training and an even better September in 2025.
During the final month of last year’s regular season, Kayfus logged an .888 OPS. His bases-loaded hit by pitch in Game 161 is what ultimately helped the Guardians clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, that production didn’t carry over into the 2026 regular season, as Kayfus hit .182/.280/.364 over nine games at the big-league level.
At Triple-A, Kayfus had a .705 OPS with 11 extra-base hits before the injury.
This isn’t the first time that Kayfus has been on the injured list during the 2026 season. He was sidelined in May of this year with an oblique injury.
Realistically, Kayfus had a tough road to get back to the big leagues this season, but he still represented outfield and first base depth in the organization.
Between injuries, some rough stretches at the plate, playing out of position to start the year, and inconsistent playing time at the big-league level, 2026 will be a year Kayfus likely wants to put behind him.
Kayfus is still only 24 years old and has some very encouraging underlying power numbers. There’s still a chance he can get back on the field and be a solid piece on a big-league roster.
However, right now, Kayfus’s number one focus will be getting healthy and back on the field.
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