Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez is going to have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports. It is a crushing update for a starting pitcher who was set to help Joe Ryan lead the Twins' rotation in 2026.
It was previously reported that Lopez was dealing with an elbow injury, but it remained to be seen if surgery would be required. Now it has been revealed that Lopez will indeed need Tommy John surgery.
As soon as the elbow injury was mentioned, everyone hoped the Tommy John surgery update would not have to surface. Lopez's season will come to an end given the surgery, however. Recovery for pitchers often requires 12-18 months.
Pablo Lopez set to have Tommy John surgery
Lopez pitched to a 2.74 ERA across 14 starts a season ago Although he was limited, the Twins starter performed well while on the mound. An All-Star in 2023, Lopez is one of the better starting pitchers in the sport. Minnesota will miss his presence in the rotation to say the least.
Ryan will look to lead the rotation amid Lopez's injury absence. Overall, the Twins' pitching staff features serious uncertainty heading into the 2026 campaign. Minnesota will need multiple starters to outperform expectations in order to have a respectable season from a pitching standpoint.
Updates will continue to be provided on Pablo Lopez's injury situation as they are made available. It goes without saying, but the Tommy John surgery update is an extremely unfortunate way to begin spring training for Lopez and the Twins.
