David Festa's Season Officially Ends as Twins Pitcher Set for Two Surgeries

[Cody Christie]

The Minnesota Twins received official confirmation on one of the organization's longest-running injury situations Wednesday. Right-hander David Festa will undergo two separate surgeries on Thursday, bringing an end to any possibility of a return during the 2026 season.

According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Festa will have a procedure to correct a shoulder impingement while also undergoing surgery to treat neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition caused by compressed nerves between the neck and shoulder.

General manager Jeremy Zoll hinted last week that Festa was unlikely to pitch again this season. These operations make that outcome official and shift the focus toward getting the 26-year-old healthy for 2027.

A Seemingly Endless Injury Journey

Festa's shoulder troubles are nothing new. What initially appeared to be a manageable issue has lingered for nearly two years, preventing him from building any momentum.

The Twins first sought answers last September when Festa met with a thoracic outlet specialist. Doctors determined that a compressed nerve was contributing to his discomfort, though surgery wasn't recommended at the time. Instead, he attempted to rehab the issue.

Unfortunately, the symptoms resurfaced during Spring Training, preventing Festa from getting through his normal throwing program. He has remained on the 60-day injured list throughout the season and hasn't appeared in a regular-season game since last July.

A Promising Arm Looking for a Fresh Start

Before the injuries piled up, Festa was viewed as one of Minnesota's top pitching prospects. The former Seton Hall standout reached the majors in 2024 and flashed the swing-and-miss arsenal that made him such an intriguing prospect.

Across 25 big-league appearances, Festa owns a 5.12 ERA over 117 2/3 innings. His ability to generate strikeouts has remained encouraging (25.7 K%), and his walk rate (8.3 BB%) has generally been under control. The biggest obstacle has been limiting home runs (1.45 HR/9), which have inflated his results despite otherwise solid underlying numbers.

With two surgeries now scheduled, the Twins will be hoping this finally addresses the physical issues that have stalled his development.

What Comes Next

Because Festa has spent the entire season on the 60-day injured list, Minnesota will need to make a decision on his roster status once the offseason begins. The club will either have to restore him to the 40-man roster or expose him to waivers.

Given Festa's age, prospect pedigree, and the flashes he has shown when healthy, it would be surprising if the Twins moved on. The more likely scenario is that they keep him on the roster while he continues his recovery, hoping the surgeries allow him to return at full strength for the 2027 season.

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[USAFChief]

Sad, but it's a waste of resources to spend a 40 man spot on Festa. 

TOS is tough to come back from.

[jimbo92107]

Hate to say it, but Chief is right. I mean, I don't hate to agree with Chief... you know. Anyway, there's no reason at this point to keep David Festa on the 40. The healing time for two separate surgeries will soak up a year before the young man can even play catch, much less start throwing hard, with spin. The Twins pitching staff is like a TJ convention, and we have seen recovery from a similar nerve impingement (Mark Guthrie?), but when you have to have two major issues corrected with surgery....damn. It's hard not to consider that Festa's problems have something to do with his fundamental pitching mechanics. Is he a sidearm guy that holds himself sideways? 

Whatever caused it, we can assume that Festa's full recovery will require a very exacting examination of his mechanics, and possibly a fundamental relearning of how to get guys out without reinjury. At the moment, it is hard to imagine a path to major league success from where he is now. I can't rule it out, but Festa's MLB future, at this moment, does not look encouraging.