Giants' Blade Tidwell to IL with UCL sprain, likely facing Tommy John surgery

San Francisco placed the rookie right-hander on the 15-day injured list after he exited Monday's start against Minnesota with elbow soreness.

The San Francisco Giants placed right-hander Blade Tidwell on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a UCL sprain, one day after he left a start against the Minnesota Twins with elbow soreness. Tidwell described the sprain as high grade and is scheduled to meet with a specialist, with a second opinion possible.

The injury ends Tidwell's 2026 season and threatens to sideline him for all of 2027 as well. A UCL sprain typically leads to Tommy John surgery, which in Tidwell's case could keep him off a major league mound until shortly before 2028 spring training.

If surgery is required, Tidwell would join a crowded list of Giants pitchers to need the procedure, including starters Carson Whisenhunt, Trevor McDonald and Hayden Birdsong, as well as reliever Randy Rodriguez, who underwent the operation late last year.

To fill the roster spot, San Francisco recalled reliever Braxton Roxby from Triple-A Sacramento. Roxby, who debuted in late August, has appeared in two big-league games, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts over two innings.

The Giants also announced that Landen Roupp's season is over. Roupp said he is healthy but has already set a career high in innings, and with the team out of contention there is no reason for another start.