Guardians Reliever Goes Under The Knife

To say that injuries have ruined Cleveland Guardians reliever Andrew Walters’ most recent two campaigns would be an understatement. It all started last year, in June, when he underwent surgery to repair his lat muscle and missed the remainder of the season.

Walters opened the 2026 season in Triple-A, still rehabbing. When his rehab window ended, he was optioned to Columbus, but another injury took him out of action for the rest of 2026 and, quite likely, 2027 as well.

“Andrew Walters underwent a right UCL repair with an internal brace on Wednesday. Return timelines are typically 10-12 months,” Guardians insider Tim Stebbins reported.

Andrew Walters underwent a right UCL repair with an internal brace on Wednesday.

Return timelines are typically 10-12 months

— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) September 10, 2026

The right-hander’s last game in Triple-A this year was on June 10. He has been on the shelf since then.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX, on Wednesday.

Given typical timelines, Walters will have a hard time being ready for the stretch run of the 2027 campaign, so it’s safe to assume we won’t see him in an MLB uniform until 2028, when he can have a normal offseason and spring training to prepare.

Walters was the 62nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and breezed through the minors. In 2024, he was called up late in the season and posted a 0.00 ERA in 8.2 innings, also playing a role in that magical postseason run.

This injury is definitely a huge blow for his future outlook, but the success rate of UCL repair surgeries these days is quite high. If he has a solid rehabilitation process, he has a good chance to regain his velocity and command at some point.

When fully healthy, Walters throws a high-velocity fastball and a wipeout slider. Control, however, isn’t always there.

This year, Walters had a 7.30 ERA in Triple-A, covering 12.1 innings. He struck out 23 batters, which means the stuff is still there, but he also walked 11.

Walters needs to regain his command and feel for pitching when he comes back from his latest setback, but that will be an assignment for later down the road. For now, the priority should be getting fully healthy and attacking his rehab with a positive mindset, especially after such a long layoff last year.