Cleveland Guardians reliever Andrew Walters is headed for another long recovery after undergoing a right UCL repair with an internal brace on Wednesday.
Guardians insider Tim Stebbins reported the procedure and noted that return timelines are typically 10-12 months. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX.
Walters’ latest setback comes after injuries already wiped out most of his recent stretch. Last June, he had surgery to repair his lat muscle and missed the rest of that season. He opened 2026 in Triple-A while still rehabbing, then was optioned to Columbus once that rehab window ended before another injury shut him down for the remainder of 2026 and, likely, 2027 as well.
His last appearance in Triple-A this year came on June 10, and he has been out since then.
With the usual recovery window in mind, Walters would face an uphill climb to be ready for the stretch run of the 2027 season, making 2028 the more realistic target for his return to an MLB mound. That would give him a normal offseason and spring training to get back on track.
The injuries are a tough hit for a pitcher who once moved quickly through the system. Walters was the 62nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and he reached the majors late in 2024, when he threw 8.2 scoreless innings and contributed to that postseason run.
There’s still reason to believe in the arm. Walters works with a high-velocity fastball and a wipeout slider, and the strikeout numbers in Triple-A this season showed the stuff was still present. In 12.1 innings, he posted a 7.30 ERA, struck out 23 and walked 11.
For now, though, the focus shifts entirely to recovery. Walters will have to rebuild his command and feel once he’s back, but that part of the story is down the road. The immediate task is getting healthy and attacking the rehab process after another brutal interruption.
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