#elbow-surgery

#elbow-surgery

Aaron Judge's massive postseason performance made it easy to forget he's been dealing with a flexor strain in his right elbow since July. The slugger had multiple hits in all but one game across the first two rounds of the playoffs. Judge engineered a defining postseason moment in Game 3 against Toronto, smashing a game-tying homer off Louis Varland. With the Yankees now headed into the offseason, Judge was asked about the plan for his ailing elbow.

Former New York Mets pitcher and Long Island native Steven Matz had to wait quite a long time to see the mound in a postseason game 10 years to be exact. The East Setaucket native, once a starter, now turned reliever with the Boston Red Sox, pitched an inning between the fourth and fifth frames in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx.

That should help facilitate a return to catching in 2026, and Jones wrote for MLB.com yesterday that Herrera has spoken with manager Oli Marmol and incoming president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom to work out a plan for an offseason program designed to get him ready to return to catching next year. Jones adds that the club's plan for Herrera's offseason was created with the knowledge of the youngster's impending surgery and with plans on how to incorporate his rehab into his winter assignments.

It wasn't the news the Blue Jays were hoping to get regarding someone they considered to be a key piece to the back end of the rotation. The 35-year-old right hander had produced solid numbers in his 22 appearances for the 2025 Blue Jays. He posted a 3.86 ERA in 21 innings pitched. He gave up just 13 hits, while striking out 25 hitters. He produced a 1.190 WHIP and hitters only managed a .224 BABIP against him.

Cubs prospect Brandon Birdsell, one of the top young arms in the system, will undergo surgery on his right elbow this week, assistant general manager Jared Banner announced yesterday ( link via Janie McCauley of the Associated Press). Banner didn't provide specifics regarding the injury, noting only that the procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister - one of the industry's most prominent orthopedic surgeons - and that more information will be known following the procedure.

Grayson Rodriguez will undergo elbow debridement surgery and miss the remainder of the season, as confirmed by manager Tony Mansolino.