SF Giants All-Star reliever's 2026 season in doubt after opting for Tommy John surgery

Randy Rodríguez's All-Star campaign is over, and his 2026 season is in doubt after opting for surgery. According to Andrés Soto of MLB.Com, the young reliever has decided to undergo Tommy John surgery after discussing it with his agent and Giants prospect Juan Sánchez.

SF Giants All-Star reliever's 2026 season in doubt after opting for Tommy John surgery

Sánchez underwent Tommy John surgery in June of 2024, but has not returned to the mound yet.
Rodríguez weighed other options such as injections or rest and rehab. The internal brace procedure is an option for some pitchers, and it offers a slightly more accelerated recovery timeline compared to Tommy John surgery.

Rodríguez ultimately decided on Tommy John surgery. This was the likely outcome after it had been the recommended course of action by Giants doctors earlier this week.

Tommy John surgery usually comes with a recovery timeline of 12 - 18 months. Relievers can often return on the shorter end of that timeline, but it varies with every pitcher. Once a pitcher is cleared to return to game action, it typically takes another month of rehab before he returns to the majors.

That timeline would put Rodríguez's 2026 season in doubt. It is a frustrating end to what was a surprising and promising year for the 25-year-old reliever. He entered the season as a leverage arm in the bullpen, but quickly carved out a critical role.

Rodríguez was not closing out games earlier in the year, but he often came into the game during the biggest moments and thrived. The final three outs of the game are not always the most important, and Bob Melvin liked the flexibility of being able to use him in a variety of spots.

The right-handed hurler was arguably the best reliever in the first half of the year, pitching to a 0.86 ERA in 41 appearances. It is usually tough for a non-closing reliever to make the All-Star team, but his performance was too good to overlook and he earned the nod.

Following the Camilo Doval trade, Rodríguez slotted into the closer role. Overall, he had a 1.78 ERA with four saves in 50 appearances before landing on the injured list earlier this week.

More from Around the Foghorn: