Lopez has been diagnosed with a UCL tear in his right elbow and could require Tommy John surgery, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Lopez will seek out a second opinion before a decision is made, but season-ending surgery is highly probable. The right-hander was limited to just 75.2 innings in 2025 due to shoulder and forearm issues and now faces the prospect of a year-plus long absence. Lopez is owed $21.75 million this season and will make the same amount in 2027 in his final year under contract.