Injury Updates on Two Key Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The laundry list of injuries for the Florida Gators on the diamond continue to pile up as shortstop Colby Shelton will be sidelined with a hamate injury for the next three weeks, according to D1Baseball’s Mark Etheridge.

Shelton was taken out of the second game in the Arkansas series last weekend and missed the finale on Sunday. 

This could potentially be season-ending one for Shelton depending on Florida's postseason chances. The Gators currently don’t have the necessary wins needed to be comfortable for a guaranteed spot in the postseason at this point in the season.

This is a big blow for the Gators and will make it that much more difficult over these final weeks of the campaign. 

Florida’s everyday shortstop now joins second baseman Cade Kurland, center fielder Kyle Jones and left-handed pitcher Frank Menendez as major contributors on the Gators’ injury list. 

There were other newcomers on Florida’s availability report. Niko Janssens and McCall Biemiller, a pair of lefty relievers, were added for this weekend's SEC series and will not be available.

However, head coach Kevin O’Sullivan did receive some good news. Left-handed pitcher Pierce Coppola, who has not pitched in a game in two months, was removed from the Gators' initial availability report. 

That’s major news for the Gators who are in need of more pitching, especially from lefties. It remains unclear how he’ll be used, if at all, moving forward given his previous injury record. O’Sullivan will most definitely be cautious in his approach with Coppola’s return and will not rush him back in any way. 

Additionally, according to Baseball America’s Jacob Rudner on X, any appearance this weekend will be a brief one for Coppola. 

Florida begins their three-game series at South Carolina on Friday at 7 p.m.

More From Gators Illustrated