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Another MN Twins Starter Down; Pablo Lopez Timeline Moved Up
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- Another MN Twins Starter Down; Pablo Lopez Timeline Moved Up
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins have yet to make it through February , and they've already seen injuries to three starting pitchers. Pablo Lopez is out for the season . Joe Ryan had a simple scare that resulted in back inflammation . Now David Festa is watching from the sidelines too.
Although the rotation appears to have just one open spot following the removal of Pablo Lopez, Festa is out of the competition before it even gets going. Derek Shelton needs his arms to stop dropping like flies, and the depth can't become the frontline like it did for much of last season.
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David Festa out for Minnesota Twins
Last fall David Festa finished the season sidelined after being diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome . Rather than undergo surgery though, he was given botox injections with the idea that it could alleviate the issue. On Thursday Dan Hayes (The Athletic) reported that a shoulder impingement will sideline the pitcher for weeks.
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Starting pitcher David Festa's readiness for Opening Day is now in question after he was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement, the team said Thursday. Festa's current shoulder issue is unrelated to the thoracic outlet syndrome injury that ended his 2025 season but requires an injection and several weeks of shutdown, Twins athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said.
"It pinches toward the back side," Festa said of his injury. "I've kind of felt it on and off the last week or two. Didn't really say anything because sometimes when you're building up, you don't always feel great. But once my bullpen (this week) wasn't as good as it probably should've been, I spoke up and got an image done. Everything lines up pretty well with what I'm feeling. So I plan to sit out throwing for two to three weeks and then if I feel good, get going again. It's a setback, obviously. I'm frustrated. But that's kind of where we're at."
That diagnosis is a frustrating and troubling blow to both Festa and the Minnesota Twins. Although athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said that the injury is unrelated to the TOS diagnosis, it's hard not to wonder what impact an already present problem can do to a similar area of the body.
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Sitting out multiple weeks will certainly push back Festa's build up schedule, and there won't be runway for him to make the Opening Day roster. He was set to battle both Zebby Matthews and Mick Abel for the final rotation spot, but now brings that the competition to two .
Festa owned a 5.40 ERA (4.88 FIP) last season across 53 1/3 innings. He had a 2.59 ERA across seven Triple-A starts though, and continues to look like there should be another step to take.
Minnesota Twins Pablo Lopez undergoes internal brace
When Pablo Lopez suffered a UCL tear , the fear was that another standard Tommy John surgery would be on the docket. Dr. Keith Meister found an opportunity to do an internal brace procedure once opening him up however. That alters the future timeline a bit.
On the other hand, the Twins were pleased to learn Wednesday that López's surgery to repair a "significant" tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow was less invasive than a standard Tommy John surgery. Dr. Keith Meister was able to use an elbow graft from López's 2014 TJ surgery to add an internal brace. The development should reduce the length of time required for the pitcher to return to action. Although López was ruled out from pitching in 2026, the Twins are now optimistic about his chances of returning closer to the beginning of next season.
López will undergo an MRI in about five months, at which point the team will be able to more accurately assess when he may return to pitching.
"This is the better of the two surgeries," Paparesta said. "We're pretty excited about that. Pablo is excited about that as well."
The semantics here are that Lopez still underwent Tommy John surgery. By using the internal brace method though, it's a timeline that reduces the endpoint by a matter of months. Lopez will still be on the shelf for at least 12, but he could return prior to the 2027 All-Star Break.
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The caveat is that there still may not be a 2027 season. Labor relations are not in a good place, and the institution of a salary cap is the largest sticking point. Should the season be banged, Lopez's four-year contract will come to an end and he would hit free agency prior to 2028.
Hopefully the injuries aren't foreshadowing to a further fallout in a season that doesn't have high expectations.
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