Minnesota Twins fans should brace for the worst in 2026: starting the season without Pablo Lopez. The right-hander will undergo Tommy John surgery, making it virtually certain he will miss several months and likely the entire season.
The news was first reported by Aaron Gleeman on X (@aarongleeman): “Pablo López will have season-ending Tommy John surgery Wednesday,” delivering devastating news for both Twins fans and the club’s new manager.
It’s worth noting that Lopez was limited to just 14 starts last season, though he still posted a strong 2.74 ERA. However, the injury disrupted what had been an impressive three-year run. Prior to last season, he had not recorded fewer than 32 starts in a year since 2021.
A major problem for the Twins
Gleeman also analyzed how Minnesota might replace such a crucial arm in the rotation. In an article for The Athletic, he suggested Max Scherzer as one potential candidate to fill the void and help the team’s mound defense.
“Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell and Max Scherzer are the only unsigned starters ranked among The Athletic’s top 50 free agents. Giolito and Littell are presumably willing to settle for one-year deals at this point. Scherzer is 41, so he’d also likely settle for a one-year deal, but it’s not clear the likely future Hall of Famer would want to spend the twilight of his career in Minnesota,” Gleeman wrote.
It’s also important to remember that Lopez previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014 while he was with the Seattle Mariners. He missed the entire MLB season before returning the following year, a significant setback to his career at the time, though he has managed to persevere since.