The St. Louis Cardinals will be without one of their starting pitchers for the next calendar year. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Hunter Dobbins underwent reconstructive elbow surgery to repair a torn UCL and flexor tendon.
Dobbins faces a recovery and rehab timeline of at least 12 months, which puts his entire 2027 season in jeopardy. How that season goes may determine what capacity the right-hander returns in.
Goold notes it’s the second time that Dobbins has undergone surgery concerning his left elbow in his career. The 27-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 as a member of the Boston Red Sox organization.
It wasn’t specificed the type of surgery Dobbins underwent. But it’s a matter of whether it’s a replacement (Tommy John) or a repair of the ligament using an internal brace.
Cardinals Starter Hunter Dobbins Out 12 Months After Elbow Surgery
Hunter Dobbins last pitched on August 21 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He left the game after one pitch into his fifth inning on the mound. He was placed on the 15-day injured list the following day.
Dobbins had been up and down on four separate stints this season. In 11 appearances, eight starts, he pitched to a 3.67 ERA and 4.30 FIP across 54 innings.
The right-hander will be out for the foreseeable future. He’s a candidate to move to the 60-day injured list whenever the Cardinals need a 40-man roster spot. Dobbins will likely open the 2027 season there as well.
There is a rehab process that the Cardinals and Dobbins will undergo over the next 12 months. The key is getting him back to his pre-surgery stuff at the end of that period.
Cardinals Acquired Hunter Dobbins in Willson Contreras Trade
The St. Louis Cardinals acquired Hunter Dobbins from the Boston Red Sox in a four-prospect package for first baseman Willson Contreras.
The Cardinals were offloading veterans in the offseason, as Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, and Sonny Gray were also shipped off. That meant a lot of salary came off the books, with some of it going to rookie second JJ Wetherholt’s massive extension.
Gray also went to Boston, but in a separate trade.
The deal worked out nicely for Boston, as Contreras is having his best season at the plate. The 35-year-old is slashing .274/.384/.516 with a career-high 26 home runs. He was one of the best hitters in the American League before going on the injured list with a hamstring strain.
Cardinals Right Now
The St. Louis Cardinals are going for a three-game sweep of the defending back-to-back World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. After blowing out Los Angeles in the series opener, they pulled off a massive comeback from down 5-0 to win in extra innings.
St. Louis is currently 70-70 on the season. They are 3.5 games back of a National League Wild Card spot. FanGraphs gives them a paltry 3.7% chance of clinching a postseason spot.
Rookie left-hander Quin Matthews starts for the Cardinals. He’ll be opposed by Tarik Skubal. First pitch at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium is set for 10:10 p.m. ET/7:10 p.m. PT.
St. Louis Cardinals Get Tough Hunter Dobbins Injury News During Dodgers Series