D.C. United captain Steven Birnbaum will need eight to 12 weeks to recover from ankle surgery, a timetable that, under normal circumstances, would sideline him for the entirety of training camp and the start of the regular season.
Birnbaum, a center back entering his eighth season, missed the last eight matches of the 2020 campaign with the injury. He said he continued to experience pain and setbacks before deciding to undergo surgery Monday.
MLS remains uncertain when camps will open and the season will begin. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the league is targeting openers in mid-March, about two weeks later than last year.