Overview
- The Angels announced Wednesday that 33-year-old Robert Stephenson had ligament and flexor tendon repair on his right elbow and will miss the 2026 season.
- A late spring setback revealed damage to his ulnar collateral ligament and flexor muscle, in what manager Kurt Suzuki called a heartbreaking turn.
- Jordan Romano has taken over as closer and entered Wednesday with four saves and a 0.00 ERA in five innings, with veterans Drew Pomeranz and Brent Suter and young right-handers providing depth as Kirby Yates nears a rehab assignment.
- His three-year, $33 million contract includes a $2.5 million option for 2027 that MLB.com reports is unlikely to be exercised because of his injury history.
- The Angels signed him after an elite 2023 with the Rays and Pirates, but he missed 2024 following elbow-ligament repair and logged only 10 innings in 2025 due to arm and nerve issues.