Pablo Lopez’s season may be over before it even begins.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher suffered a “serious tear” in his ulnar collateral ligament and Tommy John surgery is “very possible,” Minnesota Twins general manager Jeremy Zohr said Tuesday, via Matthew Leach of MLB.com.
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Lopez will get a second opinion on his elbow issue this week and hopes all he needs is an extended absence to recover rather than missing all of 2026 due to surgery.
The 29-year-old right-hander experienced elbow soreness during Monday’s bullpen session and had his session cut short. The two-inning workout was part of the pitcher’s preparation before playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic in March.
Lopez has been an Opening Day starter for the Twins in the past three seasons, but after being sidelined by injury in 2025, Lopez made only 14 starts. In early June, he was placed on the injured list due to a secondary teres major strain in his right shoulder.
Lopez returned to action three months later, but started just three games before the season ended due to a strained right forearm.
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Lopez has started 78 games for the Twins in three seasons since being traded to the Miami Marlins for Luis Araz, pitching 455 innings, striking out 505 batters and recording a 1.16 WHIP. He was named an American League All-Star in 2023.
The Twins finished last season in the AL Central with a 70-92 record last season. They’ve made the playoffs just four times since 2017 and won just one playoff series — the 2023 AL Wild Card — since 2002.