The Arizona Wildcats' 2026 season has been plagued by injuries, and the latest setback is a tough blow for the team. Sophomore pitcher Smith Bailey has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury, adding to a growing list of sidelined players.

Head coach Chip Hale confirmed the news Tuesday night, revealing that Bailey is dealing with "soft tissue stuff" in his throwing shoulder. The right-hander left his last start against Kansas on Saturday after just two innings, making him the 10th Arizona player lost to injury this season. "Everything's checked out so far, all the images they've done looked good," Hale said after Arizona's 8-6 win over New Mexico State, which snapped a six-game losing streak. "There's no damage in any of the joints or muscles. It's just a matter of rehabbing it. But the problem is, once you shut a guy down to get him back going again, you're talking about every day is probably two days to get back, so it's going to be at least a week before he picks up a ball."

Bailey had been a bright spot for the Wildcats this season, posting a 3-4 record with a 4.67 ERA in 12 starts. He struck out 65 batters in 61.2 innings, including a career-high 15 against Kansas State on April 18—a performance that earned him conference and NCBWA Pitcher of the Week honors. However, his next start was a struggle, allowing five runs in 4.1 innings, and he gave up one run over two innings at Kansas before exiting.

With just six games left in the regular season, Arizona (17-30, 7-17 Big 12) is fighting to stay in contention. The Wildcats are currently tied for the 12th and final spot in the Big 12 Conference standings, which would secure a spot in the conference tournament from May 19-23 in Surprise. Bailey's timeline for recovery would have kept him out until June at the earliest, meaning his return would only be possible if Arizona wins the Big 12 tournament and earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

This isn't the first time Hale has had to manage a pitcher's early exit this season. When freshman righty Jack Lafflam left a start on March 31 after two innings, Hale noted he "wasn't feeling great." Lafflam missed four weeks of action but made a strong return Tuesday, throwing four scoreless frames with a career-high five strikeouts in his longest outing yet.

For the Wildcats, every game counts now as they look to rally down the stretch. Fans will be watching closely to see if the team can overcome these setbacks and make a late-season push.