A concerning twinge for a key pitcher could derail the Twins' playoff aspirations before the season even begins! The Minnesota Twins are taking a cautious approach with their ace, Pablo López, sending him for an MRI after he reported elbow soreness during a live batting practice session this morning. This news, reported by Dan Hayes and Matthew Leach, comes as a significant development, especially considering López's recent injury history.
López, a right-handed pitcher, was in the midst of his workout, having completed two innings before feeling this discomfort. While the team is currently framing this as a precautionary measure – and understandably so, as no one wants a pitcher pushing through pain in mid-February – any report of elbow issues for a pitcher is naturally a cause for concern. This is particularly true for López, whose last season was unfortunately cut short by two separate arm injuries.
Last June, López experienced a Grade 2 teres major strain in his shoulder, which sidelined him for three months. He managed to return in early September, aiming to build momentum for the offseason. However, his comeback was short-lived. He then developed forearm soreness that ended his season after just three starts in September. Interestingly, his velocity in those late-season appearances had returned to pre-shoulder injury levels, leading some to speculate that the forearm issue might have been a lingering effect of his extended layoff. Despite this, the Twins didn't appear overly worried, stating in early November that López would have no restrictions during the offseason.
But here's where it gets potentially complicated for the Twins' competitive outlook... Minnesota had previously removed López, along with most of their veteran players, from the trade market. After being aggressive sellers at the trade deadline, they are now signaling intentions to compete for a playoff spot this season. New ownership, under Tom Pohlad, has expressed confidence in the current roster's ability to contend. A significant part of this optimism hinges on their starting rotation, which could be formidable with a López and Joe Ryan one-two punch. If López is forced to miss any time, this already challenging path to the postseason becomes considerably steeper.
And this is the part most people miss: The Twins do have some promising young arms in their system who could potentially fill the void. Simeon Woods Richardson, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, Zebby Matthews, and David Festa are all in contention for rotation spots. Furthermore, prospects like Kendry Rojas, Connor Prielipp, and Andrew Morris are on the 40-man roster and, while likely needing more Triple-A seasoning, could emerge as contributors this year. There's genuine optimism surrounding this group, but it's important to remember that many of these pitchers who have already seen MLB action have experienced their share of inconsistencies. The team might also need some of these arms to step up in a patchwork bullpen if they are to assemble a truly contending pitching staff.
It's worth noting that López has a history of Tommy John surgery, which he underwent as an 18-year-old prospect in 2014. Despite this, he had been remarkably durable for the majority of his MLB career. A rotator cuff injury did cost him a couple of months in 2021, but he managed to avoid missing any starts in the subsequent three seasons. Last year, though limited to 14 outings, he was still highly effective on a per-inning basis, posting a 2.74 ERA with a 23.4% strikeout rate over 75 2/3 innings.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Do you believe the Twins can still contend for a playoff spot if López misses significant time, or is this a sign that their aspirations might be a bit too ambitious? Share your opinions in the comments below!
