Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Wednesday that Kempner will require surgery for his sprained right elbow, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
The Marlins aren't expected to provide further details until the operation is performed, but Kempner will presumably require Tommy John or internal brace surgery (or a hybrid of the two), which will keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season and most, if not all, of the 2027 campaign. The 25-year-old righty was placed on the injured list July 12 and had initially taken the rest-and-rehab approach for his treatment plan, but he apparently wasn't progressing as well as the Marlins had hoped. He'll close the season with a 2.92 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 14:4 K:BB in 12.1 innings over nine appearances with the big club.