Blade Tidwell’s season is absolutely toast after the Giants officially placed him on the 15-Day Injured List with a UCL sprain yesterday. This isn’t just a 2026 problem, either, because this injury likely wipes out his entire 2027 season too. It’s a brutal blow for a team already dealing with way too many pitching issues.
The UCL Curse Continues in San Francisco
Blade Tidwell’s elbow soreness on Monday, where he exited in the 4th inning against the Minnesota Twins, was a gut punch. Now we know it’s the worst kind of news. This isn’t just some minor strain, folks. Tidwell himself called it a “high grade” sprain, and that’s not exactly a beacon of hope, is it? He’s meeting with a specialist today and might even get a second opinion, but let’s be real, “all roads lead to Tommy John” at this point. That’s brutal. If it happens, Tidwell won’t be back on the mound until before 2028. You can’t make this stuff up, because he’d be the fifth Giants pitcher to need Tommy John surgery recently. Starters Carson Whisenhunt, Trevor McDonald, and Hayden Birdsong have all gone under the knife, and reliever Randy Rodríguez had the operation late last year. What is going on in San Francisco with all these arm injuries?
Roster Scramble: Auditions for Next Year
With Tidwell out, the Giants had to make a move, obviously. They’ve called up Braxton Roxby from AAA Sacramento to fill that roster spot. Roxby actually made his MLB debut in late August, pitching in two games for San Francisco. He gave up four hits, no walks, and two runs across two innings, grabbing two strikeouts. For Roxby, this isn’t just a call-up, it’s a full-on audition for a bullpen spot next year. He’s trying to prove he belongs on that roster through the offseason. And get this, it’s not just Tidwell and his UCL. The Giants also announced that Landen Roupp’s season is over too. Roupp says he’s healthy, but since the team has “nothing to play for” and he’s already hit a career high in innings, they’re just shutting him down. You gotta wonder how many guys are playing through nagging stuff when the stakes are so low.
So, while Tidwell faces a long road back, Roxby and potentially others are fighting for their futures right now. The Giants have a few other minor league arms in AAA like Ryan Walker and Seth Lonsway, plus Miguel Mendez in AA, who could get a look if Roupp officially hits the IL. They might even call up southpaw Joe Whitman for his MLB debut to keep him off the Rule 5 Draft list. It’s a late-season scramble to see who sticks around for what’s sure to be a wild offseason of figuring out this pitching staff. Keep an eye on those names, because these guys are trying to make a statement.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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