Pablo Lopez will have surgery, miss the 2026 season
Pablo Lopez #49 of the Minnesota Twins pitches against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning of the game at Target Field on September 19, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez will be out for the 2026 season because he'll have to have surgery on his injured elbow.
Pablo Lopez out for 2026 season
What we know:
Lopez left Day 1 of Twins' spring training earlier this week with elbow soreness, and the Twins revealed he has a torn elbow ligament.
FOX 9's Jim Rich has learned Lopez will have to have surgery, so he'll be out for the season.
The backstory:
Twins’ General Manager Jeremy Zoll said Tuesday morning from Spring Training in Fort Myers, Fla., Lopez has a torn ligament in his throwing elbow.
"The MRI shows significant tearing to the UCL is elbow. We need to work through a number of steps here, including a second opinion, but surgery is very much on the table. If Pablo goes down the surgical route, he would miss the entire 2026 season," Zoll said. "Obviously that’s really disappointing news, and really feel for Pablo. A huge blow for him, but we’ll work through the steps."
Tough break for Lopez
Why you should care:
It’s a tough blow to the Twins and Lopez after just one day of Spring Training. He would’ve been the Opening Day starter in Baltimore, and was expected to carry the Twins’ rotation this year as the staff's number one pitcher.
Lopez made just 14 starts last season, missing much of the year with a shoulder strain. He had three separate stints on the injured list. Lopez went 15-10 with a 4.08 earned run average in 2024.
Lopez’s injury was the last news the Twins needed. The organization is trying to rebuild a roster after a 70-92 season in 2025, and firing manager Rocco Baldelli after seven seasons. Owner Tom Pohlad spoke with FOX 9 Sports Director Jim Rich on Monday about trying to regain the trust of the Twins’ fan base this year.
The Source: This story uses information from FOX 9's Jim Rich and previous FOX 9 reporting.