Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez is working his way back from a February elbow procedure. He returned to playing catch in August and is targeting a return in Spring Training. His current outlook would make starting the year on the Opening Day roster a possibility.
Lopez didn’t need full Tommy John surgery. Instead, he had an internal brace procedure, which carries a shorter recovery timeline. A 12-month rehab process would put him back in a Twins uniform for spring action.
“In my case, chronologically speaking, I’m going to go straight into spring training, straight into the fire,” Lopez told Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The February surgery marked the second TJ for Lopez. His first go-round was all the way back in 2013, as a minor leaguer in Seattle’s system. That was a more standard recovery timeline, with the surgery coming at the end of the 2013 campaign and wiping out his 2014 season.
“I’m going to have to find ways to make sure that I’m listening to my body, make sure I’m keeping an eye on things that I didn’t have to experience with my first Tommy John because I was done with rehab, and I had a normal offseason where I had rest and recovered,” Lopez said.
The Lopez injury was part of a tumultuous winter for the Twins. The organization introduced new minority owners in December. Tom Pohlad took over as the team’s control person. Team president Derek Falvey departed in January. Then came the Lopez injury, followed by a Joe Ryan scare that ended up being just lower back inflammation.
Getting Lopez back in the rotation will help solidify a group that posted mixed results in 2026. Ryan had another strong campaign, and Taj Bradley emerged as a mid-rotation option. Bailey Ober, Zebby Matthews, and Connor Prielipp struggled to deliver consistent results. Mick Abel showed flashes before an elbow issue ended his season. Overall, the staff ranked 22nd in ERA.
Dean Kremer was a nice buy-low addition near the trade deadline. Minnesota adjusted his pitch mix, leading to a 3.48 ERA and a sub-1.00 WHIP to close the year. The former Oriole is likely ticketed for a rotation spot in 2027. If Lopez isn’t ready for Opening Day, there could be a spot for Matthews, Abel (if healthy), or Kendry Rojas.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images
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