Overview
- Team officials confirmed the right-hander had UCL reconstruction, commonly called Tommy John surgery, performed by Dr. Jeffrey R. Dugas in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Valera, ranked No. 4 in Boston’s system by MLB Pipeline, opened 2026 at High-A with 17 strikeouts in 9⅓ innings and a 1.93 ERA.
- He exited his April 16 start with elbow inflammation after missing more than three months in 2025 with a sore elbow.
- A standard recovery from this surgery takes about 12 to 18 months, and reporting projects his minor-league return for late 2027 depending on progress.
- Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2023 for $45,000, Valera had reached 101.7 mph on his fastball, underscoring why his recovery matters to the Red Sox farm system.