Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Robert Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery, ending his 2026 season.
Stephenson signed a three-year, $33 million with the Angels ahead of the 2024 season, but missed the year run its entirety after getting Tommy John surgery. The right-hander returned to the Angels in May 2025, but only made two appearances before landing back on the injured list.
He came back towards the end of Aug. 2025, making 10 appearances, but landed back on the injured list towards the end of the season with another elbow injury and hasn't pitched since. He was solid when healthy, allowing just three earned runs through 10 innings pitched, but couldn't string together a ton of appearances due to his injury history.
Sep 19, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Robert Stephenson (24) pitches in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The Angels initially didn't think Stephenson's injury was anything to worry about, with general manager Perry Minasian stating he would be ready at the start of spring training this year.
Unfortunately, the veteran suffered a setback in spring training while attempting to pitch through thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms he experienced in the offseason.
"This guy wants to pitch, this guy wants to be good," Suzuki said . "Up until he had that setback in spring training, he was in a good spot mentally. He was excited, he was happy to be back on the mound. So this is heartbreaking."
The Angels' bullpen has been decent since the beginning of the season, as they currently rank 11th in terms of ERA. They've vastly improved from last season despite Stephenson's absence, and will hope to keep producing good results throughout the season.
