Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Evans had surgery on January 23 to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, sidelining him for approximately 12 months. The procedure, performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Texas, includes a reconstruction and internal brace. Evans, who debuted in the majors last year, now faces a significant setback for his career.
The Seattle Mariners announced the surgery on Friday, confirming that the 12-month recovery timeline means Evans will miss the entire 2026 season. Selected by the Mariners in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh—after attending Penn State—Evans quickly rose as one of the team's top pitching prospects.
In his 2025 major league debut season, the right-hander posted a 6-5 record with a 4.32 ERA over 81.1 innings in 16 games, including 15 starts. He recorded 59 strikeouts against 31 walks, while inducing ground balls on 40% of balls in play. His debut on April 27 against Miami saw him pitch five innings, allowing two runs for the win. On May 27 versus Washington, Evans delivered his longest outing of the year for the Mariners, throwing eight innings and surrendering just one run in another victory.
The injury represents a blow to the Mariners' rotation depth. While the team boasts a strong starting core of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller, options beyond them are limited. Recent acquisition Cooper Criswell projects as a long reliever, and optionable starters on the 40-man roster include Emerson Hancock (career 4.81 ERA) and Blas Castano (5.19 ERA in Triple-A last year). Non-roster invitees with big-league experience, such as Randy Dobnak, Dane Dunning, and Casey Lawrence, may fill gaps, though prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje remains several levels away.
Evans finished 2025 on optional assignment, allowing the Mariners flexibility in managing his recovery without immediate 40-man roster implications. The team may seek additional pitching depth in the coming weeks to mitigate the loss.
