ANAHEIM, Calif. - Los Angeles Angels right-hander Robert Stephenson will miss the rest of the 2026 season, the Angels announced Wednesday.
Stephenson underwent surgery to repair ligament and flexor damage in his right elbow after being placed on the 60-day Injured List late in Spring Training with elbow inflammation.
“It wasn’t like anything I’d really felt before,” Stephenson said after suffering the injury (via Steve Stockmar of MLB.com). “It didn’t feel exactly like a torn UCL. It didn’t feel exactly like the nerve stuff at the end of last year. It’s just something different.”
Robert Stephenson is out for the season after undergoing ligament and flexor repair surgery in his right elbow, per @Angels PR. @TaylorBlakeWard @SportingTrib
— Jack Haslett (@JackHaslett_13) April 8, 2026
An empty contract
In 2024, Stephenson signed a three-year, $33 million dollar contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2027. At the time, Stephenson was coming off of a stellar season with the Tampa Bay Rays where he pitched in relief in 42 games with a 2.35 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 180 ERA+.
The move was meant to add a dependable middle-man to an Angels bullpen that deeply needed one, but injuries have kept Stephenson from being that. With him out for this season, Stephenson will have played just 10 games over the course of his three-season contract.
In 2024, Robert Stephenson signed a 3-year $33 million contract with a club option for 2027. Stephenson has dealt with injuries since his arrival in Anaheim and will miss the remainder of this season. He has pitched in only 10 innings during this deal. https://t.co/6Q42mEFvEF
— Thomas Murray (@Thomas_L_Murray) April 8, 2026
Injury history
He missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2024 and he appeared in just 10 games in 2025 due to bicep and further elbow issues.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome over the past winter was the initial injury concern with the $33 million man, but elbow problems have proved once again to be the most recurring problem.
“This guy wants to pitch. He wants to be good. Up until 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,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “It’s heartbreaking. You think about the feelings of a player. That’s the first thing I go to is the person and all the stuff he’s been through.”
With Stephenson looking healthy again in Spring Training, he was slated to be a major part of the bullpen that the Angels were expecting back in 2024. Missing him leaves a relief core that was already strapped for depth missing what would have been a key piece.
“He definitely would have been one of our key guys. So, anytime you lose a guy like Bob, it’s tough,” Suzuki said. “You’ve just got to figure out a way to get it done.”