Los Angeles Angels reliever Robert Stephenson will undergo Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure next week, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. The surgery is expected to sideline him for several months into the 2025 season.
Last week, the Angels announced that an elbow injury would prevent Stephenson from pitching in 2024. While the team did not specify the need for surgery, the development is not surprising. Stephenson expressed optimism about returning early next year, meskipun the typical recovery timeline for Tommy John surgery is around 14-16 months.
Stephenson did not pitch during his first season with the Angels due to a sore shoulder. He experienced more significant elbow pain during his first and only rehab outing with Triple-A Salt Lake, which revealed UCL damage.
The UCL damage has contractual ramifications. Stephenson’s contract included a conditional option for the 2027 season that would have been triggered by a serious elbow injury. While he will earn $11 million annually over the next three years, the Angels now have a $2.5 million club option for 2027.
The Angels had hoped to have Stephenson on the mound this season, envisioning him as an anchor of their setup corps after his breakout performance with the Rays. The hard-throwing righty posted a 2.35 ERA with a 42.9% strikeout rate in 38 1/3 innings after joining Tampa Bay last June.
Stephenson will miss the entirety of this season and potentially part of his age-31 campaign. The option year covers his age-34 season.
