Mick Abel Surgery
Twins Pitcher Mick Abel to Undergo Elbow Surgery After Recovery Setback; Return Undetermined
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery after suffering a significant setback in his recovery, the team announced June 24 AP. The procedure comes more than two months after Abel first landed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, and it likely ends his 2026 season before it fully begins.
Abel, 24, had appeared close to rejoining the rotation. In a June 16 rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul, he touched 97.9 mph and struck out five in five innings NBC Sports. Then, just three days later, a 20-pitch bullpen session in Arizona left him in significant soreness. An MRI on June 22 showed major swelling in the elbow joint — but no torn UCL, meaning he avoided the more invasive Tommy John surgery CBS Sports.
From Promising Rehab to Surgical Table in One Week
Abel's road to surgery was a brutal reversal. He had thrown 13 straight scoreless innings with 16 strikeouts across his last two healthy April starts MLB Trade Rumors. After landing on the IL April 20 with elbow inflammation, a May bullpen session revealed a second problem — a triceps impingement that required a cortisone shot MLB.com.
Abel rebounded well enough to begin a rehab assignment June 10. He looked sharp. Then the June 19 bullpen session changed everything. Specialist Dr. Keith Meister — the same surgeon who performed Tommy John surgery on Twins ace Pablo López — reviewed the MRI and recommended the arthroscopic procedure AP Sports Illustrated.
A Season-Ending Blow for an Already Gutted Rotation
Abel's surgery is the latest hit in what has been a catastrophic year for Minnesota's pitching staff. Pablo López had UCL surgery in February and is done for 2026. Bailey Ober is out until after the All-Star break with right elbow inflammation. David Festa has been sidelined since February with a shoulder impingement AP Zone Coverage.
Analysts say even a "minor" arthroscopic procedure — often called a clean-up surgery — requires a recovery and ramp-up period that would push a return deep into September Sports Illustrated. The Twins will likely move Abel to the 60-day IL to free up a 40-man roster spot MLB Trade Rumors. Joe Ryan and Taj Bradley now carry a badly thinned rotation.
Abel's 2026 Numbers Showed Real Promise Before Injury
Abel posted a 1–2 record and a 3.98 ERA in 20.1 innings before going down. His underlying numbers were even better. He had a 2.76 FIP — a stat that strips out defense and shows a pitcher's true skill level — and struck out 10.2 batters per nine innings Athlon Sports. His fastball averaged 96.3 mph. The Twins gave up All-Star closer Jhoan Duran to get him from Philadelphia last July MLB Trade Rumors.
Twins Now Face a Pivotal Trade Deadline Decision
Minnesota sat 2.5 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot when the news broke Athlon Sports. The Athletic's Dan Hayes called the surgery recommendation a "brutal blow" for a team already toeing the line. Without Abel, the front office must now choose: buy starting pitching before the August 3 trade deadline, or sell off pieces if the rotation keeps crumbling.
Manager Derek Shelton has tried to stay positive, pointing to the intact UCL as a silver lining. But Abel himself hinted at the difficulty of the moment. "I just didn't want anything bad to happen and get worse," he said. "It's time to speak up" Zone Coverage. A firm return timetable won't be set until after surgery.
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