Mick Abel Takes Another Step Forward in Elbow Recovery

[Cody Christie]

The Minnesota Twins have spent much of the 2026 season waiting for Mick Abel to get healthy. On Saturday, they received another encouraging sign in that process. According to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, Abel was seen throwing off the mound at Target Field on Friday. It is a small step in the overall rehabilitation process, but after months of setbacks, any progress is worth noting.

Abel underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on July 1, performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister. The most important piece of news from that procedure was what doctors did not find: Abel's ulnar collateral ligament remained intact.

This was not a Tommy John surgery situation, and an internal brace procedure was not necessary. Instead, the surgery was intended to address the recurring discomfort that repeatedly interrupted Abel's rehabilitation. That discomfort had already turned what looked like a promising season into a frustrating one.

From Breakout to Setback

When the Twins acquired Abel from the Philadelphia Phillies as part of last summer's Jhoan Duran trade, they were betting on upside. The former first-round pick had struggled to find consistency early in his professional career, but the talent that made him a highly regarded prospect was still there. 

That talent began showing itself during Spring Training. Abel's fastball had more life, his secondary pitches generated more swing-and-miss, and he looked like someone capable of finally establishing himself as a long-term member of Minnesota's rotation.

The early regular season results only added to that optimism. Through his first 20 1/3 innings, Abel struck out 23 batters with a 2.73 FIP and a 1.57 WHIP. His command remained inconsistent (10.8 BB%), but opposing hitters were having trouble squaring him up and were increasingly chasing pitches outside the strike zone.

Then the elbow became an issue. Abel landed on the injured list in April, and what initially appeared to be a relatively manageable setback turned into a much longer process. Twice, he appeared to be approaching a return. Twice, renewed discomfort stopped him. Additional imaging provided some positive news. His MRI showed no damage to the UCL or flexor tendon. However, the recurring discomfort ultimately led to the consultation with Meister and the decision to proceed with arthroscopic surgery.

Now, Abel is taking another step toward getting back on the mound. There is still plenty of work ahead. But considering where Abel's rehabilitation stood just a few months ago, seeing him on a mound represents meaningful progress. The Twins need Abel as part of the starting pitching mix for spring training. For a season that has repeatedly stalled, that's a welcome sight.

View full rumor

[bjorks]

If he's 80% of his potential from 5 years ago, he's a steal as a #5. Sadly we have a recurring theme with guys like Festa, Abel, Canterino and pitching in general. Velo is an arm killer. While I"m not a fan of the All the Smoke pod, the one with Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds was very interesting. 

[JADBP]

You're right...not every human is built to throw a baseball 5 ounce baseball at 957-100 mph.  In fact, I would have to say that even those very few that can hit these speeds are unable to do it consistently over a full season.  Its why there are so many pitching injuries.  Doctors getting rich, LOL!

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

Good to read this update about Abel. I was getting excited thanks to his performance early this season. I hope he can return from this injury and become a productive piece of our starting rotation next year. 

[miller761]

All the more reason to have starting pitching depth of up to 10 pitchers. It is today's baseball so if you want to win you had better have the depth.

[killercarewoliva]

23 hours ago, bjorks said:

If he's 80% of his potential from 5 years ago, he's a steal as a #5. Sadly we have a recurring theme with guys like Festa, Abel, Canterino and pitching in general. Velo is an arm killer. While I"m not a fan of the All the Smoke pod, the one with Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds was very interesting. 

Not sure but it seems as if the Twins want as much speed as the guy can do but as you say velo is an arm killer. I recall the Orioles with McNally, Quellar (bad spelling), Palmer and one more with a 4 man rotation each getting 20 wins and no arm issues. They didn't throw as hard back then. Im going to guess 1966. 

[Whammy]

On 9/27/2026 at 9:12 PM, bjorks said:

Sadly we have a recurring theme with guys like Festa, Abel, Canterino and pitching in general. Velo is an arm killer. While I"m not a fan of the All the Smoke pod, the one with Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds was very interesting. 

It's weird to lump in Abel with Festa and Canterino.

This year is the only large amount of time Abel has missed in his career. That happens.

12 months ago it might have been fair to lump Prielipp in that group, but look where we are with that now.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

18 hours ago, JADBP said:

You're right...not every human is built to throw a baseball 5 ounce baseball at 957 mph.  

[bjorks]

10 hours ago, killercarewoliva said:

Not sure but it seems as if the Twins want as much speed as the guy can do but as you say velo is an arm killer. I recall the Orioles with McNally, Quellar (bad spelling), Palmer and one more with a 4 man rotation each getting 20 wins and no arm issues. They didn't throw as hard back then. Im going to guess 1966. 

Conditioned arms vs micro managed arms. Mechanics are thrown out the window because it's about RPMs and spin rates and maximize movement and speed. going back even 30 years it was unthinkable someone would be throwing 92-94 mph changeups. 

[bjorks]

10 hours ago, Whammy said:

It's weird to lump in Abel with Festa and Canterino.

This year is the only large amount of time Abel has missed in his career. That happens.

12 months ago it might have been fair to lump Prielipp in that group, but look where we are with that now.

That's not the point, the point is with baseball focused primarily on velo, we have our fair share of arm injuries. Abel is just the most recent example. 

[killercarewoliva]

2 hours ago, bjorks said:

Conditioned arms vs micro managed arms. Mechanics are thrown out the window because it's about RPMs and spin rates and maximize movement and speed. going back even 30 years it was unthinkable someone would be throwing 92-94 mph changeups. 

absolutely correct and thank you for that additional information. spin rates are incredible. some of these guys do