When Will Evan Carter Return and Be Back? Fantasy Baseball Injury Update

Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter entered the 2024 campaign with a ton of hype. After hitting .306 with five home runs, four doubles, and 12 RBI across his first 23 regular season games in 2023, Carter appeared to be one of the best value picks in drafts this season. 

However, Carter has turned out to be one of the biggest busts in fantasy this year. He is hitting just .188 with five HRs, six doubles, and 15 RBI across 45 games in 2024 while missing a large portion of the season due to a back issue. 

So, when will Carter return and be back? Let's dive in and find out. 

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Evan Carter Injury Update for Fantasy Baseball

It has been a rough year for the 21-year-old outfielder, as he has dealt with a back injury for most of the year. Carter has been on the injured list since May 28, and it seems like he won't be coming off the 60-day IL any time soon. 

Rangers general manager Chris Young said at the end of July that Carter is "unlikely to play again this season." The young outfielder was trying to make a return later this year and began to ramp up his activity in July. However, he felt more pain in his back amid that ramp-up process, resulting in the team shutting him down for the 2024 campaign. 

Evan Carter is in the Rangers clubhouse. He’s expectedly bummed out about the shutdown, but hopes to be swinging again in 9-10 weeks and with “a long offseason than anyone” excepts to be firing on all cylinders by spring training.

He doesn’t anticipate needing surgery.

— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) August 4, 2024

Carter's season-ending injury is obviously a tough break for any fantasy manager who drafted him. He had a ton of promise entering the year, but he'll now look forward to the 2025 season.

Evan Carter Fantasy Baseball Outlook

If you were one of the few managers still holding onto Carter in one of your IL slots in redraft formats, it's time to drop him. He will miss the remainder of the 2024 season with a back injury. However, he should not be dropped by any means in dynasty leagues.

The left-handed slugger showed a ton of potential in 2023 before struggling this season. With a full offseason to get his back right, though, look for the Rangers outfielder to bounce back next year. The talent is there for him to succeed, so dynasty managers should be keeping him on their roster. 

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