After surgery to remove part of the hamate bone in his right wrist, Markakis was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on June 1, 2012. He began his minor league rehab games with the Double-A Bowie Baysox on July 7, and returned to the Orioles on July 13. On September 8, Markakis was hit by a pitch by Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and suffered a fractured thumb. He then missed the rest of the season and postseason. He later said that he would have been ready to play had the Orioles made it to the World Series; the team was eliminated in five games by the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.