SAN JOSE — It was almost too good to be true for the San Jose Earthquakes.
A 9-1-0 regular-season start, the best in MLS history. A first-place perch in the league standings and a home date in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 against Minnesota United.
A highlight early goal for hometown hero Beau Leroux setting the tone for another feel-good win.
And then things changed.
San Jose Earthquakes’ Timo Werner (11) controls the ball against Minnesota United FC in the first half of the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
When Timo Werner, the man who has keyed San Jose’s renaissance season, chased down a long ball on the far touch line in the 31st minute, disaster struck.
Werner’s left hamstring seized up, stopping the star German international in his tracks and putting an end to an opportunity that the 30-year-old transfer could have turned into another dangerous scoring chance, as he has done so many times this season.
Quakes fans will likely have to wait a little longer for those good times to roll again this season. While Werner’s injury likely won’t derail San Jose’s sterling campaign on its own – after all, the Quakes still won 4-2 to advance to the Open Cup quarterfinals – it does put a damper on what otherwise has been an almost impossibly perfect start to the year.
“He was running down the ball over the top, and he’s got great pace, and he pushed pretty hard on the play and just strained a muscle,” Quakes coach Bruce Arena said. “So hopefully it’s nothing that’s going to keep him out a long time.
“We were subbing him (after that). We knew that.”
San Jose Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena keeps an eye on the game against Minnesota United FC in the first half of the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Arena did not give an update on Werner’s status after Tuesday’s game, saying that the team’s doctors would evaluate him on Wednesday. But based on Werner’s reaction and the fact that he left the game immediately after suffering the injury, it seems likely he will miss at least some time on the pitch.
“We saw him just hold his hamstring and kind of hop around,” Leroux said. “And it was pretty unfortunate to see that. I mean, as a player, you kind of know what that is. Hopefully, he rests and recovers soon.
“I don’t know how bad it was. I think the doctors are examining him right now, but we’ll see.”
Arena called Leroux, who finished with two goals, “our best player tonight,” and he figures to play a big role amid Werner’s expected absence.
San Jose Earthquakes’ Beau Leroux (34) takes a shot against Minnesota United FC’s Kyle Duncan (3) in the first half of the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
“Two fabulous goals with his left foot,” Arena said of the right-footed midfielder.
Leroux noted after the game that San Jose has played without Werner this season, and he’s right – in a small sample.
Werner missed the Quakes’ opening game against Sporting Kansas City on Feb. 21, a 3-0 win, as well as San Jose’s matchup with San Diego FC on April 4, also a 3-0 victory. He sat out again when the Quakes beat Kansas City 3-1 on April 11.
But there’s no doubt he’s been the team’s talisman, a player who has contributed goals or assists in all but two games he has played and averaged more than one per game.
San Jose Earthquakes’ Beau Leroux (34) celebrates his goal with teammates, including San Jose Earthquakes’ Niko Tsakiris (10) against Minnesota United FC in the first half of the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
“We started the season without Timo,” Leroux said. “I think we know how to play with and without Timo. So it’s really important to have both sides of those things.
“He congratulated me and I asked him how he was doing, and he said his hamstring, he felt it in the game. So I don’t know any more on that.”
San Jose now enters a six-game sprint to the finish before the MLS takes an extended break for the FIFA Men’s World Cup, which is coming to the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.
The Quakes have navigated a dense schedule in recent weeks, playing six games in the last 18 days. They have another in Toronto on Saturday morning Pacific time before hosting Vancouver on May 9 in a matchup of the Western Conference’s top two squads.
San Jose Earthquakes’ Niko Tsakiris (10) celebrates his goal with San Jose Earthquakes’ Ousseni Bouda (7) against Minnesota United FC in the second half of the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
No rest for the weary, but maybe a bit for the injured. It’s the riddle Arena will have to solve as San Jose looks to close out the first half with another brilliant stretch.
“We are going to have a break, but the month of May is going to really challenge them, because we’ll have another Open Cup game as well,” Arena said. “We want to win, we want to get points, so we’ve got to try to put a team on the field that’s competitive enough to get us a result. And that’s challenging.
“A good part of it is we’ll have a week off before we face Vancouver, so we’ll see. Do I have the answers to that? No, to be honest with you. You’re not looking at a genius here by any means.”
Maybe not. But the strings Arena has pulled this season have worked pretty well thus far.
San Jose Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena sits before their game against Minnesota United FC for the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
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