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Twins Provide Mick Abel Update After Injury Setback
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- Twins Provide Mick Abel Update After Injury Setback
After it appeared that Minnesota Twins starter Mick Abel was on the verge of returning from his elbow injury, a setback during a bullpen session has put his future in doubt.
Abel pitched well in two rehab starts with Triple-A St. Paul, but suffered a setback on Friday ahead of his MLB return. The 24-year-old is clear of any major structural damage to his elbow, but the MRI revealed quite a bit of swelling. On Wednesday, the team announced that a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister will lead to Abel undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his arm.
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As of now, it is unclear what the second procedure will look for in Abel's elbow, or when it will even take place. The Twins have not announced a timetable for Abel's return and will await the results of the surgery before setting anything in stone.
Abel was enjoying a strong start to the season despite having appeared in only four games and was a popular breakout candidate heading into the year. Through four appearances, Abel had a 3.98 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, with 23 strikeouts in just over 20 innings of work. Abel's 2.76 FIP suggests that some of the runs scored against him have been out of his control and likely due to poor fielding, while his 10.2 K/9 is indicative of his elite strikeout upside.
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The Twins continue to toe the line of mediocrity while also staying competitive in the American League. Minnesota sits in third place in the AL Central and are 4.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox . They are also just two games back of the final AL Wild Card spot, but have been at the center of trade rumors ahead of MLB's trade deadline in August. Starter Joe Ryan and catcher Ryan Jeffers are just two of the trade chips that have been the focus of several contending teams.
While it does not appear that Abel's elbow injury will require any reconstructive surgery, there is concern over the long-term durability of his arm. With the Twins looking like they are leaning towards being sellers this year, there would also be little urgency to rush Abel back to action.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
