Giants closer Randy Rodríguez will undergo Tommy John surgery at the end of September, the team informed reporters (including Shayna Rubin of The San Francisco Chronicle). The club announced in late August that doctors had recommended he undergo surgery. This finalizes those plans and all but officially rules the right-hander out for the 2026 season.
Rodríguez had taken over the ninth inning after San Francisco traded Camilo Doval to the Yankees at the deadline. He would’ve been the favorite for the closer role going into next year. The 25-year-old turned in a 1.78 earned run average while striking out more than a third of opponents over 50 appearances. He collected his first four career saves and picked up 13 holds.
Elbow injuries have been the only real concern over his first two big league seasons. Rodríguez missed six weeks in the second half of the ’24 campaign to elbow inflammation. He avoided surgery at the time, and his 97-98 MPH fastball and wipeout slider carried him through the first five months of this season. An elbow sprain sent him back to the injured list last month, and it seems the ligament damage was severe enough that he’ll need to go under the knife.
Rodríguez entered this season with 148 days of service time. He picked up a full service year in 2025 and will do the same in ’26. He’ll qualify for arbitration for the first of four times as a Super Two player during the 2026-27 offseason. The Giants will need to carry him on the 40-man roster over the offseason but can place him on the 60-day injured list at the beginning of Spring Training.
timing couldn’t be worse.
all star to missing all next year and then some
Seems like he could be ready for ‘27 with no setbacks. That’s 17 months until pitchers and catchers report.
29 months if they don’t play the ‘27 season. Being sarcastic of course. And crying.
I know you’re joking but why does this sentiment of cancelled games due to a possible strike often get repeated here. Have the sports media been fear-mongering? There’s way too much money in baseball today for either side to leave money on the table and not play games.
For me personally, Samson told me. He knows stuff.
I listen to some of his podcast too. He’s open and honest about his observations but self-aggrandizing.
Ok. I suppose there is a
little of that. I’m there for the read on what is going on in front offices. Invaluable for that. Knows everyone and what makes them tick. Knows the process, knows the manoeuvres. If he is telling me to expect missed games, I’m expecting missed games.
Fair enough.
Please take Doval back
Not a chance. Our winning ways are partly due to that headcase being 3000 miles away!
No they’re not.
Hell NO !!!
77 thumbs down
So he is unable to play at the major league level, or any level for that matter UNTIL the conclusion of the World Series BUT he is magically healed at that poi
magically healed at that point and returns to the 40 man roster until the beginning of Spring Training 2026 when he once again is deemed as injured and goes onto the 60 day disabled list until the end of the 2026 World Series AND then he is no longer injured, at least until the beginning of the 2027 Spring Training. All the tests, diagnostics, doctors, make it virtually impossible in today’s game to “Stash” players on the 60 day DL. Time to eliminate this antiquated rule – along with a host of others.
You’re just using semantics.
It’s not about being magically healed. The 60-day IL is about allowing teams to compete on a more level playing field during the regular season. The purpose is to allow teams to field a relatively healthy 40-man roster, when games are being played. During the season teams need to be able to draw from the 40-man, when less serious injuries occur. When there are no games that does not apply.
Allowing teams to continue to use the 60-day IL, despite no games being played, merely becomes a device for stocking extra players on the 40-man. That’s unfair to the marginal players, who might get put on waivers, and get a better chance with another team.
If the rule says teams are to be limited to a 40-man roster, but they’re allowed to stock more than that, then the rule becomes moot. When the entire purpose of the 60 day IL is for when actual games are being played, then allowing it in the offseason is just a loophole contrary to the 40-man roster limit.
Jacksson13,
Just stick to doing weird puns on player names…
Hope the Giants can find someone good like him!