It seems like if Packie Norton didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all.
The pitcher, who’s trying to make a comeback to the MLB after several arm injuries, had to leave his first game of 2026 with the Cardinals’ Triple-A team after just three pitches due to another injury.
During the bottom of the sixth inning, while facing Corey Lee of the White Sox, Norton threw a pitch that went wide of the strike zone and appeared to cause him discomfort.
As he received attention from the catchern Leo Bernal and the training staff, Norton clutched his left elbow and bent over in pain.
He eventually exited the field, clearly in distress and still grasping his elbow.
Notably, Charlotte Knights announcer Matt Swierud commented during the broadcast, “That’s never a good sign. I hope it’s nothing too serious, but he seemed concerned.”
Norton was actually seen as an uplifting story this year, especially after he missed most of the last three seasons.
He had been doing well during spring training, with a remarkable 1.29 ERA over seven games, which had increased his chances of making it back to the MLB for the first time since 2023.
“After throwing my first pitch, I felt a real sense of relief,” Norton had said in an interview, mentioning how everything felt fine and the effort he put into his rehab seemed worthwhile.
However, things took a turn when he tore his flexor tendon after only four games in 2023, which sidelined him for the remainder of that season.
While in the minors in July 2024, he re-injured his flexor tendon and also tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, leading to Tommy John surgery later that year. This setback meant he had to sit out all of 2025 as well.
Despite these challenges, the Cardinals offered him a two-year contract during the offseason, knowing he would be unavailable for the entirety of 2025 but hoping he could participate in 2026.
In the meantime, feeling the need to stay active, Norton obtained a real estate license. He mentioned he was looking for something to fill his time while recovering, stating, “I knew I had to do something that wouldn’t drive me crazy during the summer.”
Norton was originally drafted by the Reds in the ninth round of the 2017 MLB Draft and later traded to the Angels in August 2020. He made his major league debut with the Angels the following year but played for only seven games.
Then, the Cardinals picked him up off waivers, and he played a career-high 27 games in the 2022 season. Overall, in three MLB seasons, he has recorded a 4.98 ERA over 37 appearances.
