Minnesota Twins star pitcher Pablo Lopez received an unfortunate injury update on Tuesday, as it was revealed he has a torn elbow ligament. While season-ending surgery is not guaranteed as of this story's writing, it is a legitimate possibility. Lopez commented on the news after it was revealed, via Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

"Talk about going from 100 to a zero on the scale of being excited, being pumped, being just ultimately happy to be here and then you get to hear news like that," Lopez said.

One has to wonder what the Twins will do now. They were seemingly hoping to compete in 2026 given the fact they did not trade Joe Ryan or Byron Buxton during the offseason. The hope was that Ryan and Lopez would lead the starting rotation, however. 

With Lopez out, the chance of Minnesota seriously competing is slim. The Twins may need to think about restarting and trading their stars away. Perhaps they could wait until the trade deadline, but it is something the ball club may need to consider. 

For Lopez, it is obviously an unfortunate blow. He was ready to help the Twins attempt to upset expectations. Now there is a realistic chance that he may not pitch in 2026.

Lopez is under contract through 2027. Even if he misses all of 2026, he could potentially bounce back in 2027 and set himself up for free agency. However, it remains to be seen what kind of surgery he may need. Either way, the 29-year-old's injury update is far from ideal to say the least.

He was limited to only 14 starts in 2025, but he pitched to a strong 2.74 ERA during that span. In 2023, he was an All-Star and ended up finishing the year with a 3.66 ERA across 32 outings. The right-handed starter finished seventh in American League Cy Young voting as a result of his strong performance.

Lopez was one of the most durable starting pitchers in MLB from 2022-2024, appearing in 32 games in each season. Injury concerns were an issue last year, and they are obviously a problem once again in 2026. 

Updates will continue to be provided on Lopez's injury status. He is currently hoping for an update that suggests he won't need surgery. However, all reports indicate that surgery is a realistic possibility. 

As for the Twins, they are preparing for the 2026 campaign amid Pablo Lopez's injury absence. Competing for a postseason spot was already going to be a challenge for a Twins ball club that had uncertainty. Now, the team may have to re-evaluate their 2026 overall plans.