Cleveland Guardians pitcher Andrew Walters is set to miss an extended amount of time after undergoing UCL surgery.
The Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen has had its share of highs and lows throughout the 2026 season.
During those more difficult moments, there were questions as to whether or not the team would bring back right-hander Andrew Walters, who was at one point one of the most promising pitching prospects in Cleveland’s organization.
Unfortunately, any hopes of seeing Walters pitch at the big-league level this season, and likely anytime during 2027, are gone.
The Guardians announced on Thursday that Walters met with Dr. Keith Meister and underwent UCL repair surgery with an internal brace on Wednesday.
The initial timetable for his return was set at 10-12 months, meaning he could be back as early as August 2027 if his recovery and rehab go as planned.
Injuries have unfortunately been a theme of Walters’ professional career ever since he was selected by Cleveland during the 2023 draft. The right-hander quickly made his way through the Guardians organization, making his MLB debut in 2024. Walters even played a key role in Cleveland’s ALDS run two years ago.
However, it’s been nothing but missed time for the 25-year-old since then.
Walters dealt with shoulder discomfort during training camp in 2025. He eventually came off the injured list in May, but only made two appearances before suffering a torn right lat that ended his season and required surgery.
It appeared Walters was ready for a healthy and impactful 2026 season, as he started the season at Triple-A.
After a rough start on the mound, Walters was placed on the Minor League injured list in June with right elbow inflammation. Even after the organization’s medical team tried to help him recover, Walters still had symptoms, which is why he saw Dr. Meister.
Even though Walters has pitched a ton at the MLB level, he's still proven in his limited outings that his stuff plays against big-league hitting. In 11 career games, the righty has a 1.80 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP, with his fastball consistently sitting in the high 90s.
Since Walters hasn't appeared in a game for the Guardians this year, the injury doesn't affect their playoff hopes, as they remain on pace in the American League Central and the Wild Card race.
Still, losing Walters is a brutal blow for the team’s reliever depth heading into the future and could force Cleveland to make some tough offseason decisions with its 40-man roster.
