Twins right-hander Mick Abel will have MRI after waking up sore following bullpen session

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel will undergo an MRI after waking up sore in his right elbow following a bullpen session, a development that pushed the club to remove any chance of a near-term rotation return. The team announced the next step through manager Derek Shelton’s comments before Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Abel’s availability tied to how the elbow responds and what the imaging shows.

According to the Twins’ report, Shelton said Abel was sore after the bullpen, and that soreness was significant enough for Minnesota to change plans quickly. The club then “pulled the plug on any chance of a start,” meaning Abel’s next opportunity to pitch will not be measured in days but in whatever the MRI and subsequent medical evaluation determine.

The timing matters because Abel’s role is not a bullpen specialty assignment. As a right-handed starter in the Twins’ rotation mix, his performance affects how Minnesota manages innings distribution, depth options, and the order of other starters who would otherwise fill the rotation slots when a young starter needs a reset.

In the immediate term, the setback also reshapes how the Twins handle their pitching staff across the weekend series environment. When a starter is removed after a planned start window closes, teams often rely on swingmen, additional bullpen usage, or longer relief outings to keep games on track. For Minnesota, that is especially relevant given that the decision came after a bullpen session, which implies the injury concern was detected internally rather than stemming from a visible game-day issue.

Abel is 24, and the club’s statement frames the problem as a soreness flare-up that surfaced after throwing, not as a confirmed structural injury. That distinction is important. An MRI does not automatically mean a significant injury, but it is the standard method teams use to determine whether there is inflammation, a strain, tendon involvement, or any other finding that would require a lengthier absence.

The Twins’ next decision point will be straightforward: medical staff will review the MRI results and then set a timeline for rest and any subsequent strengthening or progression work. Until the imaging outcome is known, Minnesota’s rotation picture will remain fluid, and the club may keep a starter spot reserved for the pitcher’s updated status rather than locking into a fixed path based only on the recent bullpen.

For fans watching Abel’s season arc, the key takeaway is that his return is now conditional. The bullpen did not produce the clean recovery the club needed to keep him on a starting track, so the MRI outcome becomes the governing factor for whether he resumes pitching quickly or needs a longer recovery window.

The Twins’ follow-up on Abel will likely also clarify how they plan to manage other young arms in the rotation mix. If the MRI points to a minor issue, the club may steer toward a cautious but faster ramp. If the MRI uncovers a more serious finding, Minnesota will have to adjust the rotation plan for the duration of the replacement run and protect leverage arms in the bullpen accordingly.