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Pablo López Takes Important First Step in Injury Recovery
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- Pablo López Takes Important First Step in Injury Recovery
Minnesota Twins starter Pablo López has not and will not take a major league mound in 2026.
Despite that setback, the 30-year-old took a key first step in his recovery on Friday following season-ending Tommy John surgery on February 25.
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Before the Twins' series opener against the San Diego Padres , López played catch from 30-45 feet.
López's throws were his first since suffering right elbow soreness during Minnesota's first full-squad workout of Spring Training. A later MRI revealed a significant tear in his right UCL, which ultimately led López to undergo Tommy John surgery.
López's injury came at an unfortunate time. He was scheduled to pitch for eventual champion Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year but had to pull out after undergoing surgery.
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But for Minnesota, the loss was greater, as the Twins lost their ace for even longer after an injury-riddled 2025 campaign.
Last season, López landed on the injured list three separate times. First, a right hamstring strain caused him to miss two weeks in April. Then, the right-hander was sidelined in early June and missed three months due to a Grade 2 right teres major strain. After López returned in September, he made just three more starts before being shut down because of a mild right forearm strain.
There's no question that López struggled to stay healthy, but it's also no secret that he was the anchor of the Twins' starting rotation when available.
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Across 14 starts in 2025, López went 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.11 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .225 batting average over 75.2 innings. All of those marks were career bests.
Although the list of injuries is long and he has not pitched in an MLB game since September 19, López's importance to Minnesota's pitching staff is undeniable.
Throwing the baseball again was encouraging in itself for López. But perhaps even better was the fact that he felt good afterward.
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"It's a large step," manager Derek Shelton said. "His arm was moving forward and there was a baseball that came out of it. Even though it was only 30 feet and 45 feet, I think it was very encouraging. He left with a smile, I think I left with a smile."
As for López's next steps, he will look to build up both volume and distance while playing catch before progressing further. His return timeline remains unclear, and his status for the beginning of the 2027 season is uncertain at the moment.
Nonetheless, Friday was a massive moment for López.
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Entering Sunday's series finale in San Diego , the Twins (63-67) sit 4.5 games behind the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox . Minnesota is also just a game out of the third and final American League wild-card spot.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
