A Cruel Twist After Free Agency Leaves a Longtime Orioles Pitcher Facing His Toughest Setback Yet .MH

Baltimore Orioles fans that have been around a while are well-aware of the saga that was John Means’ tenure with the team. When he was on the mound, Means was really good and a quality middle-of-the-rotation options for Baltimore. Unfortunately, Means’ injury history was lengthy and it led to a lot of missed time before he eventually hit free agency again this offseason. Unfortunately, Means’ troubles did not end there.

Means was already having to sell himself despite having had two Tommy John surgeries on his arm and not having pitched in the majors since May 2024. Word got out on Thursday that Means had indeed found a team to sign with, but disaster struck before he could get pen to paper as Means himself revealed on social media that he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon during training the day he was to sign with a new team.

That is absolutely and undeniably brutal.

Former Orioles pitcher John Means ruptured his Achilles immediately before he was to sign with new team in latest setback

There is no sugarcoating this one, unfortunately. Achilles’ tendon injuries are major injuries that require a long downtime with no guarantee of success (just ask Michael Soroka). You can really sense the heartbreak that Means is dealing with right now in his Instagram post. At 32 years old and with all of the major injuries he has had to deal with, there are no guarantees anymore. There is currently no word as to which team he was going to sign with, but it is likely Means narrowly lost out on millions in the blink of an eye.

Ideally, Means is able to bounce back and can convince someone to give him a chance at some point during the 2027 season, because 2026 is a lost cause given the timing of his injury. Of course, he may have to settle for some sort of non-guaranteed contract upon his return. With Jason Grilli’s injury being a cautionary tale, teams will want to protect themselves from the risk that Means is never the same again.

This is just brutal for Means who cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries. While his time with the Orioles did not end the way anyone wanted, fans still wanted things to work out for the guy as he clearly worked hard to get healthy again. Sadly, some guys’ bodies just don’t hold up the rigor of the big leagues and the training needed to stay there.