Minnesota Twins starter Pablo López likely to miss season after UCL tear

Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo López has a significant tear in his elbow and will likely need Tommy John surgery, the team announced Tuesday.

López ended a bullpen session early on Monday over what manager Derek Shelton said was "a little bit of elbow soreness." An MRI later revealed a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, according to the Twins. The surgery — his second of the kind — would end his season before it begins.

López, who turns 30 next month, threw two-plus innings before shutting things down. He was considered ahead of schedule in preparations to join Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic.

López has been the opening day starter for the Twins the past three seasons. He was limited to 75 2/3 innings last year, with three stints on the injured list for hamstring, shoulder and forearm issues.

The 2023 All-Star had made 32 starts in each season from 2022-24, the first of those with Miami before a pair with Minnesota.

Lopez was 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA last season. He won 10 games in each of the previous three seasons, capped by a career-best 15 in 2024.