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Tim Tebow’s baseball season is over due to hand injury

Lottie Casas August 12, 2019

Tim Tebow will not make his MLB debut this season, and it’s not because the suddenly hot New York Mets don’t have room for him on the major league roster.

Newsday’s Tim Healey first reported that the former college football standout will miss the remainder of the season as he continues healing from a hand injury suffered in July.

Yahoo Sports’ Matt Ehalt has since confirmed the news.

Tebow suffered a cut that required eight stitches in his left hand. He was injured while fielding a ball in the outfield, Syracuse Mets manager Tony DeFrancesco told reporters on July 23.

It’s the second straight year Tebow’s baseball season has come to an early end. He was shut down in late July of 2018 after suffering a broken bone in his hand. That ended his All-Star season with Double-A Binghamton.

Disappointing season

Coming off a breakthrough season in Double A, there had been some buzz in spring training that maybe Tebow would get the call up to the big leagues at some point this season.

Those talks were quickly squashed after Tebow got off to a slow start. Unfortunately, there was only minimal improvement as the season progressed.

Tebow finished 2019 with a .163/.240/.255 slashline to go along with four homers, 19 RBIs and 98 strikeouts in 77 games.

Though even with a good season, Tebow’s MLB chances took a hit thanks to the Mets’ recent surge into the postseason picture. There’s no room for an unproven commodity when every game matters.

13 PHOTOSTim Tebow with the New York MetsSee GalleryTim Tebow with the New York MetsPORT ST. LUCIE, FL – FEBRUARY 21:RY 21:RY 21:RY 21:RY 21:Tim Tebow #83 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during photo days at First Data Field on February 21, 2018 in Port St. Lucie, Florida.(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)TAMPA, FL – AUG 13: Tim Tebow of the Mets at bat during the Florida State League game between the St. Lucie Mets and the Tampa Yankees on August 13, 2017, at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)TAMPA, FL – AUG 13: A Gators fan is all smiles as he captures a selfie with Tim Tebow of the Mets before the Florida State League game between the St. Lucie Mets and the Tampa Yankees on August 13, 2017, at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)KISSIMMEE, FL – JUL 21: Tim Tebow of the Mets throws the ball back into the infield during the Florida State League game between the St. Lucie Mets and the Florida Fire Frogs on July 21, 2017, at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)KISSIMMEE, FL – JUL 21: Tim Tebow of the Mets makes a catch in centerfield during the Florida State League game between the St. Lucie Mets and the Florida Fire Frogs on July 21, 2017, at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – JUNE 28: St. Lucie Mets Outfielder Tim Tebow (15) laughs with St. Lucie Mets Outfielder John Mora (4) on the field before the start of the second game of a double header MiLB minor league baseball game between the Palm Beach Cardinals and the St. Lucie Mets at the First Data Field in Port St Lucie, Florida on June 28, 2017. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – JUNE 28: St. Lucie Mets Outfielder Tim Tebow (15) smiles as he signs autographs for fans in the stands before the start of the first game of a double header MiLB minor league baseball game between the Palm Beach Cardinals and the St. Lucie Mets on June 28, 2017 at the First Data Field in Port St Lucie, Florida.. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – JUNE 28: St. Lucie Mets Outfielder Tim Tebow (15) laughs with a team mate in the dugout during the second game of a double header MiLB minor league baseball game between the Palm Beach Cardinals and the St. Lucie Mets at the First Data Field in Port St Lucie, Florida on June 28, 2017. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – JUNE 28: St. Lucie Mets Outfielder Tim Tebow (15) smiles before batting during the first game of a double header MiLB minor league baseball game between the Palm Beach Cardinals and the St. Lucie Mets on June 28, 2017 at the First Data Field in Port St Lucie, Florida.. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)CHARLESTON,SC – JUNE 17: Tim Tebow (15) of the Fireflies at bat during the minor league game between the Columbia Fireflies and the Charleston RiverDogs on June 17, 2017 at AT&T Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)LAKELAND, FL – MARCH 20:Tim Tebow #97 of the New York Mets looks on from the dugout during the Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 20, 2017 in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Mets 5-1.(Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)LAKELAND, FL – MARCH 20: Tim Tebow (97) of the Mets at bat during the spring training game between the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers on March 20, 2017 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)PORT ST LUCIE, FL – MARCH 08: New York Mets Designated Hitter Tim Tebow (97) during a MLB spring training game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets at Tradition Field in Port St Lucie, Florida on March 8, 2017. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Up Next

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What’s next for Tim Tebow?

In the immediate future, he’ll return to his role as a college football analyst for ESPN and SEC Network.

As for his baseball aspirations, time is running out for the soon-to-be 32-year-old. This felt like a make-or-break season in terms of proving he could contribute and potentially sustain a role at the big league level.

While it’s said that the Mets want and expect Tebow back next season, MLB’s new roster rules will certainly his chances of making even a brief MLB appearance. With MLB going to a 26-man roster through August and only allowing teams to expand the roster to 28 in September beginning in 2020, Tebow’s chance get much smaller.

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