Stephen (elbow) underwent surgery to repair his UCL on Monday and will be sidelined 10-to-12 months, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
As opposed to a UCL reconstruction, the repair comes with a slightly shorter recovery timeline. Stephen is obviously done for the 2026 season and likely won't see any game action until some point in the first half of the 2027 campaign. The 23-year-old was a second-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2024 and was acquired in the Shane Bieber deal last summer. Across 12 starts with Double-A Akron this season, Stephen pitched to a 3.27 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 49:23 K:BB across 55 innings.
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Guardians' Khal Stephen: Headed for UCL surgery
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Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Sunday that Stephen (elbow) will undergo UCL surgery during the upcoming week, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Antonetti noted that a decision on whether Stephen requires a UCL repair or reconstruction will be determined once Dr. Keith Meister gets a chance to get a closer look at the right-hander's elbow before surgery is performed. Stephen will miss the rest of the season regardless of the specifics of his procedure, though a repair could shave a few months off his recovery timeline and give him a chance at returning to action at some point during the 2027 campaign. The 23-year-old submitted a 3.27 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 49:23 K:BB in 55 innings over 12 starts for Double-A Akron before landing on the injured list June 10.
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Guardians' Khal Stephen: Headed for elbow surgery
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Guardians assistant general manager James Harris said Sunday that Stephen will undergo right elbow surgery in July, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Harris relayed that the type of procedure that Stephen will require won't be known until he meets with Dr. Keith Meister on July 2 to have his elbow evaluated. Regardless, Stephen appears likely to miss the remainder of the season, and depending on the nature of his surgery, his availability for the start of the 2027 season could be affected. The 23-year-old righty turned in a 3.27 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 49:23 K:BB in 55 innings with Double-A Akron this season before landing on the shelf June 10.
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Guardians' Khal Stephen: Lands on minor-league IL
Rotowire
Stephen was placed on the 7-day minor-league injured list at Double-A Akron on Wednesday with right elbow soreness, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Stephen last pitched Sunday for Akron, throwing just one scoreless inning before exiting the game. He's in the midst of his first full season in the organization after he was acquired from the Blue Jays last season at the trade deadline as the return for Shane Bieber. Stephen has logged a 3.44 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 23 walks over 12 starts (55 IP) for the RubberDucks.
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Guardians' Khal Stephen: Resumes pitching
Rotowire
Stephen (shoulder) is expected to throw a two-inning live batting practice on Monday, MLB.com reports.
This will be the second live BP for Stephen, who threw one last Friday. The 22-year-old right-hander was traded from the Blue Jays to the Guardians in the Shane Bieber trade. Stephen had a breakout campaign in 2025, dominating Single-A and High-A hitters before reaching Double-A New Hampshire. It was there that he was hit by shoulder impingement after one start and landed on the 7-day injured list prior to being traded. Assuming he returns at some point in September, Stephen could get at least two starts in for Double-A Akron.
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Blue Jays' Khal Stephen: Promoted to Double-A
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Stephen was promoted to Double-A New Hampshire on Sunday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Stephen will take a step up to Double-A after producing a 1.49 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with 49 strikeouts over 48.1 innings in nine starts with High-A Vancouver this year. The 22-year-old has already climbed from Single-A Dunedin to Double-A this year, and he'll set his sights on taking another step to Triple-A Buffalo by the end of the season.
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Blue Jays' Khal Stephen: Dominant at High-A
Rotowire
Stephen struck out a career-high 11 for High-A Vancouver on Tuesday, allowing two runs (one earned) one three hits over six innings. He didn't walk a batter.
The 22-year-old right-hander hasn't missed a beat since his promotion to the Northwest League, and over three starts for Vancouver, Stephen has posted a 3.21 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 16:3 K:BB through 14 innings. A second-round pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, the Mississippi State product made his pro debut at Single-A this season and is racing up the ladder on the strength of a mid-90s fastball, a potentially plus changeup and strong control and command.
