Pirates Reveal Next Plan for Termarr Johnson After Injury

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates hoped that Termarr Johnson would become a big part of their future, but a recent injury has hindered that development.

Johnson suffered tears to the ACL and LCL in his left knee after falling awkwardly near first base in his last game with Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 8, which required his left leg getting put in a cast and then taken out of the game on a cart.

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Johnson will undergo surgery on Aug. 20, with the pre-op surgery as a left knee ACL reconstruction and an LCL procedure done as well.

Tomczyk also described it as a "pretty traumatic knee injury" and that Dr. Dan Cooper, an expert in knee surgeries for athletes, will complete the surgery in Dallas, Texas.

When Will Johnson Return to Play?

Tomczyk didn't give a timeline, as these kinds of surgeries are complex and take a long time to heal from.

ACL reconstructions (anterior cruciate ligament) can take around nine to 12 months to heal from and an LCL (lateral cruciate ligament) can take about six months, depending on the severity.

Mar 6, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson (81) reacts after hitting an rbi single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The ACL allows the knee to rotate, connecting the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) and without it, the knee can hardly work.

An LCL connects the femur to the fibula, a bone located in the lower leg, which also provides stability to the knee and keeps it from moving forward.

Both of these are incredibly crucial to the knee working and operating as they would normally, so Johnson will have a long recovery ahead of him.

There is a chance he misses all of next season, but at the very least, he will not be ready for the start of 2027.

Injury Comes at Worst Time for Johnson

Johnson had struggled in 2026, but was finally starting to figure things out at Triple-A after a rough start.

He hit .225/.384/.393 for an OPS of .777 in June and then hit .250/.375/.450 for an OPS of .825 in July, which came after he was batting .167/.284/.215 for an OPS of .499 through the end of May, making him one of the worst hitters in the International League over the first two months.

Indianapolis Indians second baseman Termarr Johnson (2) hits the ball during a game against the Toledo Mud Hens celebrating the Indians’ 30th anniversary Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Victory Field in Indianapolis. The Indians fell to the Mud Hens 4-3. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Johnson hit seven of his eight home runs on the season in June and July and showed promise going forward.

The Pirates took Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Benjamin E. Mays High School and made him a big part of their future.

Johnson hasn't put up the numbers the Pirates or fans would've hoped for, batting .239/.372/.382 for an OPS of .754 over 467 minor league games.

He is still quite young, turning 22 years old in June, but this injury really hurts his development and means he won't make his MLB debut until 2028 at the earliest.

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