Whither Superman? Sam Fuld needs wrist surgery

Rays outfielder Sam Fuld is going under the knife. The Rays announced Monday Fuld needs surgery on his right wrist and he's expected to be sidelined four to five months -- meaning his entire 2012 season is in jeopardy. The wrist injury had previously been characterized as a sprain, but a recent MRI revealed there was an issue with the tendon sheath.

By Matt Snyder

Apr 2, 2012 at 2:35 pm ET • 1 min read

Superman. Super Sam. The Legend of Sam Fuld.

Pick your poison, but scrappy Rays outfielder Sam Fuld, known for his insane diving catches, is going under the knife. The Rays announced Monday Fuld needs surgery on his right wrist and he's expected to be sidelined four to five months -- meaning his entire 2012 season is in jeopardy. The wrist injury had previously been characterized as a sprain, but a recent MRI revealed there was an issue with the tendon sheath.

Losing Fuld thins the Rays' bench in a big way, especially considering that center fielder B.J. Upton will open the season on the disabled list. Fortunately for the Rays, second baseman Ben Zobrist can play right field, shifting Matt Joyce to left and Desmond Jennings to center. Elliot Johnson can then be the fourth outfielder, though he's also an infield backup. This all means Jeff Salazar has a good shot to make the Rays' opening-day roster.

Fuld, 30, hit .240/.313/.360 with 18 doubles and 20 stolen bases last season. The majority of his value comes on the bases and in the field.

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