Pablo López, a right-handed pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, is set to undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, as confirmed by Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. This procedure will mark the second time López has undergone this surgery, with his first being over a decade ago. The Twins acquired López in a trade from the Miami Marlins in January 2023, and he has been a consistent performer in the team's rotation over the past three seasons. López's injury, a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow, was discovered earlier this week, and despite seeking a second opinion, the decision to proceed with surgery was made. López will miss the entire 2026 season and aims to return early in the 2027 campaign, which is the final year of his four-year, $73.5MM contract with the Twins. The Twins' new executive chair, Tom Pohlad, has expressed his desire to compete, and the team has made strategic moves to strengthen their roster, including late-offseason bids for Framber Valdez and Freddy Peralta. With López's absence, fellow right-hander Joe Ryan is likely to start on Opening Day, while other pitchers like Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson will also compete for rotation spots. Homegrown prospects Zebby Matthews and David Festa, along with deadline pickups Taj Bradley and Mick Abel, will join the mix, with additional prospects potentially challenging for innings as the season progresses.
