Janson Junk Injury Update After Ankle Scare at Marlins Spring Training
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Spring training is supposed to be about getting ready, but sometimes it throws curveballs before you even step on the mound. The Miami Marlins right-hander Janson Junk rolled his ankle during warmups in Jupiter, Florida, and is now wearing a protective boot.
Per MLB.com's Christina De Nicola, Junk hurt himself when his foot got caught during dynamic warmups. The good news is the ankle didn't swell up much, and head athletic trainer LJ Petra gave it an initial look. Still, he'll see a doctor before anything gets decided.
Junk addressed the situation directly:
"Probably not going to do that. We'll just take it day by day and see what doc says, but initial testing, like I said, LJ checked it out, and swelling wasn't there at the time. So that's good. Just achiness, and feels like I rolled it."
He had a pitch design session recently and was lined up for another one, which is now off the table. Pitch design is where pitchers and coaches fine-tune things like grip, spin, and movement. For someone still fighting for a roster spot, those sessions are not optional extras, they are how you make your case.
Janson Junk Career Year 2025 and What It Means for 2026
This is important because Junk is not a guaranteed starter. He is fighting for a place in the starting rotation of the Marlins or a spot in the bullpen, and since the front office is still prioritizing adding rotation depth, every spring appearance counts.
Junk gave them more than enough reasons to extend their faith in him for 2025. He recorded a 4.17 ERA with a 3.14 FIP, over 21 games including 16 starts, which is actually the best period of his career so far. That sort of a season for a 30-year-old still figuring out his place in the team is really worthy of trust.
So missing time now, even for something minor, stings a little.
He acknowledged the frustration himself: "At least it gives me some time to kind of recoup; it's just annoying building up and everything. I was feeling really good. It is what is."
That frustration makes sense. With Marlins pitching depth being examined closely, it's not great for Junk to lose any spring time. The doctor visit is still pending, so there is no timeline yet.
What is clear is that Junk is coming into 2026 on a real high from last season and losing spring reps to something like this is the last thing he needed going into what might be his most important camp ever.
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Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from the London School of Journalism and brings four years of experience in sports media coverage. His current focus is MLB coverage spanning the Blue Jays, Astros, Rangers, Marlins, Tigers, and Rockies, with additional expertise in basketball and college football.