Ugh: Twins to Place Mick Abel on 15-Day Injured List with Elbow Injury

[AceWrigley]

Just swell.

[Mike Sixel]

Definitely feel bad for him!

[LewFordLives]

13 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Players get hurt. I don't get blaming the twins for that. 

I wasn't blaming anyone for anything. Call it just really bad luck if you want, but this organization just can't seem to catch a break. This certainly has the potential to change the outlook from that trade. It seems like every move they make turns to ash.

[Mike Sixel]

16 minutes ago, LewFordLives said:

I wasn't blaming anyone for anything. Call it just really bad luck if you want, but this organization just can't seem to catch a break. This certainly has the potential to change the outlook from that trade. It seems like every move they make turns to ash.

That last sentence? Really? 

Of course this changes the outlook for this trade. 

[Greglw3]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Players get hurt. I don't get blaming the twins for that. 

I think the original commenter who said "of course he’s hurt, it’s the Twins", wasn’t blaming the Twins, but merely making a fatalistic observation from a fan that loves his team but is bewildered at all the obstacles they have faced in recent years.

Just the two cheap ownership groups in Griffith and Pohlad have been enough of a drag with nothing else considered for this near original Twins fan.

Only the reserve clause covered up the effects of that cheapness and allowed Calvin to operate a somewhat successful franchise until free agency started

Then heartbreak of a kind far more staggering than anything with the Pohlads ensued, with the franchise losing an unbelievable amount of talent in a short time. Nothing can surpass losing Blyleven, Bill Campbell, Dan Ford, Gary Ward, Carew, Bostock, Hisle and Dave Goltz in a very short time. 

[Riverbrian]

Bad Luck? 

All 30 teams experience the same type of luck.   

Injuries are a major part of a 162 game schedule. 

Major Part! 

You don't know who, what and when but you know that there will be a who, what and when. 

 

[TJSweens]

We just can't have nice things.

[Hubie29]

I'm sure this will turn into Tommy John.

[Twins GFP]

3 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Let's not over react , hopefully it's a short term injury  and Abel can comeback this year .. 

 

You do realize this is Minnesota, right? Expect Abel back next year some time...

[rdehring]

BAh Humbug!

[D.C Twins]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Players get hurt. I don't get blaming the twins for that. 

I think the one question is:

Do the tweaks that the Twins make to maximize velocity and other factors put more strain on the elbow?

There was an article a few days ago that said they dropped his arm slot 2 degrees and increased his extension. Tweaks can improve results, but it can come at the cost of disrupted natural biomechanics.... 

I'm not saying this definitely contributed to his injury, but I mean, it is possible... 

[Road trip]

Unfortunate, but as others have said this is just a normal part of the sport now.  Players get hurt, frequently.  It's tough being a Vikings  Twins fan.  Next man up.

[LewFordLives]

27 minutes ago, D.C Twins said:

I think the one question is:

Do the tweaks that the Twins make to maximize velocity and other factors put more strain on the elbow?

I wonder if it's more to do with the type of pitchers they target. They seem to prefer hard throwers that throw lots of sliders.

[Major League Ready]

4 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Duran is on the IL. Did that trade blow up on Philly? You can't predict this stuff, I'm boggled this is a real take. 

Victim mentality here too.  Some people have to have someone to blame for everything.

[terrydactyls]

5 hours ago, LewFordLives said:

You can't pretend that there's no difference between an oblique strain (Duran) and elbow inflammation (Abel). One is a stint on the DL and the other has potentially career altering implications.

Which is IL and which is life threatening (baseball life, that is).

[Twins GFP]

3 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

I think the one question is:

Do the tweaks that the Twins make to maximize velocity and other factors put more strain on the elbow?

There was an article a few days ago that said they dropped his arm slot 2 degrees and increased his extension. Tweaks can improve results, but it can come at the cost of disrupted natural biomechanics.... 

I'm not saying this definitely contributed to his injury, but I mean, it is possible... 

They have done studies on this. This is not a Twins-centric issue. Pitching injuries are up MLB-wide since the shift to max-effort velocity. That is also why you see so few SP going longer than 5-6 innings and RP going 1 inning at a time throwing max heat.

[lecroy24fan]

9 hours ago, Brett said:

May have an interesting choice to make when Abel returns if Prielipp has a couple or more good starts. Does SWR still have options?

SWR is out of options.

[lecroy24fan]

Sucks we can't delete a duplicate post. 

 

So instead I will add that everyone was up in arms they didn't get Painter and Miller instead of Abel and Tait. I still say they made the right call and Philly wasn't trading Painter. 

[strumdatjag]

9 hours ago, Greglw3 said:

He was just about the brightest light in the whole organization. Now, definitely sign Giolito ASAP, you truly can never have too much pitching. This is a severe bummer! Double and Triple Ughh!

Is Giolito getting any offers?   I bet he would be available for a one year contract. 

[saviking]

9 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

Best case…

Abel misses a month and returns to form. Prielipp and Rojas pitch so well they are here to stay. 

Looking at a potential bright side. I commend you. I don't think my brain is wired for that 🤔 

[Aggies7]

10 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Just swell.

Of all the words to use 😂

[knothole61]

12 hours ago, Patzky said:

I'm crossing my fingers Abel does return. 

A young pitcher and an elbow--they will be cautious. He will rest a month at least and then work back slowly in the minors. Pitchers need to be seasoned and many, of course, need Tommy John. It's all in the game.

[Patzky]

Some beat writes are classifying Abel as having a 'minor' injury. FWIW. Those fantasy baseball writers don't mess around.

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

The extent of Abel's injury won't be clear until the team provides further updates about any imaging taken on the arm, but right away, one must worry about a long-term absence. Inflammation isn't an injury in itself; it's a symptom of fatigue and/or damage, which has some cause. Finding out the cause of the inflammation will tell us whether Abel will be out a few weeks, the rest of the season, or somewhere in between.

And that sums it up for now. We just have to wait another day or two (I have no idea how long these imaging tests will take) before we can fully understand the injury. Like everyone else on this site I was very encouraged by Abel's recent starts and looking forward to a great season with him in the rotation. All we can do is wait and hope for the best. The only silver lining to any long-term injury is that it will give another pitcher a chance (Prielipp, Rojas, or even Morris or Zebby?) to make an impression. Not an ideal situation, but like others have said, every team suffers these injury setbacks too. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Ugh indeed! Wishing Abel a speedy recovery!

[strumdatjag]

I asked about Lucas Giolito.  He is 31 and wants a 3 year contract at over $20 million a year.   I doubt he would take a one year “prove it” contract at $15 million AND I DON’’T THINK THE TWINS OWNERSHIP WOULD PAY IT ANYWAYS. 
So, ignore my question on Giolito. 

[mickster]

12 hours ago, strumdatjag said:

Is Giolito getting any offers?   I bet he would be available for a one year contract. 

yes - sign him.   If he performs great, bonus for 2026.  But even if he performs average - could be dealt at deadline and thus keep our young arms and a depth of SP

[Gamblerssoftball]

What makes people think that Giolito has gas left in the tank? There's got to be a reason why he's not employed. I obviously don't know 🤷 

[Chembry]

18 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

I think the one question is:

Do the tweaks that the Twins make to maximize velocity and other factors put more strain on the elbow?

It's not a Twins issue, it's a systemic issue that traces all the way back to high school aged pitchers. High School aged pitchers are chasing velocity to get college offers.  College pitchers are chasing velocity because stuff and velocity drive projections, which drives draft selection.  This isn't speculation either.  In 2014, 5 high school aged pitchers threw 95 or harder at the Perfect Game Showcase.  In 2024, that number rose to 36.

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction surgeries in the major leagues jumped from 21 in 2010 to 46 in 2024. Minor league numbers paint an even bleaker picture, as procedures surged from 83 in 2010 to 240 in 2024.

To answer your question, yes it causes more strain on the elbow.  Baseball America wrote an article back in February on this topic.  A quote from an orthopedic surgeon in the article stated when asked what has changed "If you could take one factor, it’s velocity"

It's a good read if you are interested in learning more.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/is-velocity-really-the-culprit-behind-rising-baseball-injuries/ 

[Chembry]

32 minutes ago, Gamblerssoftball said:

What makes people think that Giolito has gas left in the tank? There's got to be a reason why he's not employed. I obviously don't know 🤷 

Giolito had a decent year last year.  He started 26g and finished with 145 IP, 3.41 ERA, 4.17 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 9% BB rate, 20% K rate.  

He turned down his $19M mutual option for 2026. He was thinking he would get a longer deal or more money.  Obviously, that hasn't turned out to be the case.  MLBTR wrote an article on him.  He is quoted saying "I just want to play for close to what my value is"...That would lead you to believe the reason he hasn't signed is because he thinks he is worth more than his $19M option and no team wanted to pay that.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/lucas-giolito-throwing-roughly-75-pitches-in-side-sessions.html