Ethan Roberts and the 10 absolute strangest Chicago Cubs injuries

Last week, relief pitcher Ethan Roberts became the latest Chicago Cubs player to hit the injured list in a strange way. Roberts sliced the middle finger on his pitching hand after a loose vent dislodged while he was working out with a medicine ball.

The freak accident made Roberts the seventh of eight Cubs pitchers to hit the injured list this year, after closer Daniel Palencia joined him last Friday. But it wasn't the first time a random household object forced a Cub to miss playing time. Here are some of the other examples of bizarre ways Cubs players have suffered injuries.

10 wierd, bizarre and unbelievable Cubs injuries over the years

Jose Quintana's dish-washing incident

Former Cubs starter Joe Quintana missed the first month of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after he sliced his pitching hand open while washing dishes at home. However harmless it sounds, Quintana lacerated a nerve in his thumb during the accident, which had to be surgically repaired.

Brandon Morrow's pants injury

In 2018, Brandon Morrow served as the Cubs' closer and was extremely effective when he was on the mound (1.45 ERA in 2018). But his season hit a comical snag in June when he landed on the 10-day injured list with back spasms. The culprit? Morrow was undressing at his house and felt the spasms as he was taking off his pants.

Tyle Colvin impaled by a broken bat

In an injury that could theoretically happen at any time, Cubs outfielder Tyler Colvin was the victim of a broken bat shard in a game against the Marlins in 2010. The incident happened while Colvin was the runner at third base when his teammate Welington Castillo smacked a double. The wooden bat shard lodged in Colvin's chest and punctured his lung, resulting in a three-day hospital stint.

Flix Pie's groin injury

During the Cubs' 2008 spring training, outfielder Felix Pie missed a few days to recover from a testicular issue. An injury that sounds extremely painful, Pie suffered from testicular torsion (twisted testicles), which required a minor surgical procedure to fix.

Koyie Hill nearly lost his fingers

In October 2007, after the Cubs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, catcher Koyie Hill was using a table saw to cut wood for a home improvement project. In a scary accident, the saw cut off Hill's right thumb and deeply cut three of his other fingers. Miraculously, doctors reattached all of his fingers, and he was able to continue his big-league career. After extensive rehab and physical therapy during the 2008 season, Hill played 255 MLB games after the accident, the bulk of his career in the majors.

Kerry Wood's hot tub mishap

In 2007, Cubs legend Kerry Wood missed the first week of spring training because he fell on his chest and injured his ribs while he was getting out of a hot tub. It was the first of many injuries that plagued Wood in his first year as a reliever, where he was only able to complete 24 innings of work.

Carlos Zambrano's computer

In 2005, Carlos Zambrano was the ace of the Cubs' pitching staff. Although he logged 223 1/3 innings pitched that year, he missed a start because he also logged too much time on the computer. Zambrano experienced elbow issues, which doctors said could have been linked to his constant laptop use. At the time, Zambrano said he was spending four hours a day sending emails to his brother, making this injury truly a product of its time.

Kyle Farnsworth kicks a fan

Kyle Farnsworth was one of the most effective Cubs relievers of the early 2000's, but his short temper got the better of him at times. The most unfortunate of these incidents came in 2004 after Farnsworth allowed the Houston Astros to score six runs in the ninth inning. The reliver ran into the dugout and kicked an electric fan, spraining his right knee and landing him on the 15-day injured list in the process.

Sammy Sosa sneezing incident

In 2004, Sammy Sosa was still the face of the franchise, but his back decided it had other plans during a pre-game session in the dugout. Two violent, unexpected sneezes caused such a severe ligament strain in his lower back that the superstar ended up on the injured list for a month.

Steve Trout falls off a bike

In 1985, Cubs starter Steve Trout's career took a turn. He was unable to make a September start against the Cincinnati Reds because he fell off a stationary bike and injured his elbow. Although some accounts say that Trout was biking with his family when the injury happened, everyone seems to agree that he fell off a bike.

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