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'A horrific year': Lane Thomas is searching for answers with foot injury; Here's what's next
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- 'A horrific year': Lane Thomas is searching for answers with foot injury; Here's what's next
CLEVELAND — Lane Thomas ' ongoing battle with plantar fasciitis will extend deeper into September, and he's still searching for answers in what has been an eternally frustrating 2025 season.
While the Guardians push forward with their chase for a playoff spot — entering Sept. 12, they had 16 games to close a 3.5-game gap — Thomas remains sidelined with a foot issue that has been a recurring problem.
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Partially while trying to grind through the injury, Thomas has played in only 39 games this season, hitting .160 with a .518 OPS. He clearly wasn't himself, and the issue eventually sidelined him long term. Thomas could be — or would have been if healthy — a positive influence to a lefty-heavy lineup given his career .859 OPS against left-handed pitchers.
Thomas and David Fry , in a way, can keep opposing teams honest simply with their presence in the lineup.
After he had one of the loudest swings in Progressive Field history last October — a grand slam off Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal that sent the Guardians to the ALCS — he's had a brutally quiet 2025. It's been a constant battle of staying positive through a season that has been frustrating at every turn.
"Man, I think you wouldn't be very good at this game if you couldn't kind of move on, you know what I mean?" Thomas said. "Obviously, it's been tough and I don't want to downplay the year. It's been really hard, but at the same time it's like, man, it's a tough game. You deal with stuff like this for the last 10, 11 years of my life, when I was young in the minor leagues and when this stuff was new. So it's just part of it."
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"You play long enough, I feel like you run into some bad luck."
Cleveland Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas makes a sliding catch against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 25, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lane Thomas injury update
He is also running out of time to have any chance of returning this season, or even in the postseason if the Guardians can keep playing into October . Thomas, who has received multiple cortisone injections in an effort to deal with this problem, said Sept. 12 the next step is to see a specialist in Indianapolis, with surgery a possibility.
He hasn't been officially ruled out of anything, but the chance he's available to help the Guardians in 2025 continues to dwindle with each passing day.
"Tried the cortisone this last time and I just didn't respond well to it," Thomas said. "I would play an inning or so and could just barely run or jog or walk. It wasn't in a good spot. … There's a good-percentage outcome surgery they do. It's nothing super intense. It's not a crazy long recovery time. It's just kind of letting that stuff heal and fixing whatever's going on in there."
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Thomas has sought outside advice from a few other major leaguers who have dealt with similar foot/heel problems, though none have been as severe as his case.
"I've talked with Carlos Correa ; he had some bad stuff with it. Harrison Bader in 2022 kind of went through the same stuff I did when he got traded from the Cardinals to the Yankees ," Thomas said, also including Johnathan India. "I think it's a pretty popular thing, but just not to this extent."
It has led to Thomas trying multiple shots, different shoes and anything else that might be an option. To date, nothing has worked enough.
The message from Guardians manager Stephen Vogt to Thomas: "Whatever you need, Lane."
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"This has been a horrific year for him injury-wise and personally; it's just been a tough year," Vogt said. "I mean, he just couldn't ever get healthy, and I feel for him. … Lane means the world to us. He's been a great teammate despite not being on the field. He adds a ton of value to what we do, and we've missed him all year."
Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas celebrates his double against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 28, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lane Thomas contract
Thomas was hoping to build a productive contract year in 2025, but that hasn't happened. He can become a free agent at the end of the season, but it's unclear what his market might be with this foot issue hanging over his head.
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A return to Cleveland is certainly possible, but it would be as a free agent.
"I don't think there's an expectation there. I think there'll be some conversations," Thomas said. "We'll see. I'm open to it, absolutely. I don't think right now either side's really worried about that. I think it's obviously hoping we play well the next month and can root these guys on and get in the playoffs."
Akron RubberDucks infielder Juan Brito throws to first base between innings during a game against the Bowie Baysox, Aug. 31, 2023, at Canal Park.
Juan Brito injury update
Guardians infield prospect Juan Brito, meanwhile, has officially had his 2025 season ended.
Brito has been dealing with a hamstring injury. After a recurrence of symptoms accompanied by some troubling running metrics, surgery to repair the affected tendon and scar tissue was recommended.
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Brito underwent that procedure Sept. 10. He's expected to make a full recovery and be unrestricted in two to three months. Brito should have a chance to break into the majors at some point in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians outfielder searching for answers with plantar fasciitis
