Angels' Robert Stephenson Done For Season After Elbow Surgery: Another Brutal Blow For LA
The Angels' injury curse just claimed another victim. Right-hander Robert Stephenson will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing ligament and flexor tendon repair surgery on his right elbow, the team announced Wednesday. For a pitcher who was supposed to anchor LA's bullpen, this is as bad as it gets.
A Three-Year Deal Derailed by Injuries
Stephenson signed a three-year, $33 million deal back in January 2024 with the expectation he'd be one of the Angels' top relievers. Instead, his tenure has been a nightmare of setbacks. He missed the entire 2024 season after having ulnar collateral ligament repair with an internal brace surgery in May 2024. Last year wasn't much better. In 2025, he was limited to just 12 games after being diagnosed with a stretched biceps nerve.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiNow, at 33 years old, Stephenson faces another major surgery. The latest blow came during spring training when he attempted to pitch through thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms he'd been dealing with in the offseason. That setback forced the team's hand.
Manager Kurt Suzuki's Frustration Says It All
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki didn't hold back when talking to MLB.com before Wednesday's 8-2 loss to Atlanta. "This guy wants to pitch, this guy wants to be good," Suzuki said. "Up until he had that setback in spring training, he was in a good spot mentally. He was excited, he was happy to be back on the mound. So this is heartbreaking."
That's the thing that makes this even tougher. Stephenson was finally in the right headspace, ready to contribute, and then his body failed him again. Over nine seasons since making his major league debut with Cincinnati in 2016, Stephenson carries a 4.69 ERA. But when you're hurt and can't pitch, stats don't matter.
The Angels will have to figure out their bullpen without him. That's a hole they didn't want to have to fill.
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