The Cleveland Guardians haven’t had a good week when it comes to injuries.
It was revealed, on Thursday, that Gavin Williams won’t be ready to start the season, and that pitching prospect Daniel Espino will miss the entire 2024 campaign with shoulder surgery.
Also on Thursday, the team informed fans and the world that reliever Trevor Stephan, one of the most important arms in the bullpen, will be out indefinitely and will undergo elbow surgery.
“And the bad news keeps coming. Trevor Stephan will also be undergoing right elbow surgery in the next week or two. After his elbow discomfort persisted, it was determined that his UCL is not providing adequate stability, which caused more pain. No timetable for return yet,” Guardians insider Mandy Bell tweeted.
And the bad news keeps coming.
Trevor Stephan will also be undergoing right elbow surgery in the next week or two.
After his elbow discomfort persisted, it was determined that his UCL is not providing adequate stability, which caused more pain.
No timetable for return yet.
— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) March 14, 2024
Stephan’s issues started in late-February, when he was shut down from throwing for three weeks after being diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right elbow.
When he tried to restart his throwing program, the discomfort didn’t go away.
If his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) doesn’t offer stability, he can’t continue pitching and it needs to be surgically corrected.
Nobody knows how much time he will miss, but he is yet to be ruled out for the rest of the season which implies that he won’t necessarily undergo Tommy John surgery.
We will all have to wait for official confirmation by the team.
Stephan posted a 3.73 ERA in three seasons with the Guardians, pitching over 60 innings in each and every one of them.
Just like that, the Guards’ bullpen takes an important hit heading into the season.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Definitive Gavin Williams Injury Update