In a tough break for the Minnesota Twins, right-hander Pablo López is set to undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. This development comes after it was revealed that López has a tear in his right elbow's ulnar collateral ligament. Despite seeking a second opinion, the decision for surgery was inevitable.
This marks López's second time undergoing the procedure, the first being over a decade ago. Unfortunately, this means he'll miss the entire 2026 season, with hopes of returning early in 2027. That year will also be the last of his four-year, $73.5 million contract with the Twins, where he's set to earn $21.75 million in both 2026 and 2027.
López joined the Twins in January 2023, arriving from the Marlins in a trade that sent Luis Arraez to Miami. Over the past three seasons, López has been a reliable presence at the top of Minnesota’s rotation, posting a 3.68 ERA with impressive rate stats, including a 26.8% strikeout rate and a 5.8% walk rate. Advanced metrics like SIERA (3.48) and FIP (3.44) suggest he's been even better than his ERA indicates.
The 2025 season saw López start strong with a 2.82 ERA across his first 11 starts. However, a Grade 2 strain of his teres major sidelined him for about three months.
He returned in September with three solid starts before a minor forearm strain ended his season. The Twins mentioned that López could have continued pitching if they were in playoff contention, but chose to shut him down with their season effectively over.
He seemed to have recovered well during the offseason until the recent UCL tear emerged during spring training.
Despite the challenges, the Twins opted against a full rebuild this winter. After selling a minority stake to new shareholders, the front office made some modest additions, signing Victor Caratini, Josh Bell, and Taylor Rogers. They also chose to retain key players like López, Joe Ryan, Ryan Jeffers, and Byron Buxton.
New executive chair Tom Pohlad has expressed a strong desire to compete, believing in the team's potential. The Twins made late attempts to acquire Framber Valdez and Freddy Peralta, indicating they might explore external options to bolster their roster.
With López out, Joe Ryan is likely to take the mound on Opening Day. Bailey Ober will aim to rebound from an injury-marred season, and Simeon Woods Richardson, coming off a solid finish last year, is expected to secure a rotation spot.