Orioles Lose Keegan Akin to Tommy John Surgery

Sport

By lines

July 16, 2026

Pop-art illustration of a taped athletic hand and wrist

Keegan Akin underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, ending the Orioles reliever’s 2026 season. The left-hander will miss the rest of this year and likely all of 2027. Surgeon Keith Meister performed the operation in Arlington.

Baltimore’s Bullpen Thins Out Before the Trade Deadline

Akin injured the ulnar collateral ligament in the left elbow. Akin reported soreness after a June 27 outing against the Nationals. Baltimore placed Akin on the injured list on June 29. The Orioles later shifted Akin to the 60-day injured list. Manager Craig Albernaz confirmed the ligament damage. Imaging confirmed the ligament tear after the June 29 shutdown. The operation rebuilds the elbow ligament using a tendon graft. Tommy John surgery typically requires about 14 months of recovery.

Akin posted a 12.66 ERA across the 2026 season. Akin recorded 11 strikeouts before the elbow injury intervened. Akin also carried a 2.06 WHIP over that span. Akin made a final appearance before the June 29 injured-list move. Those numbers marked a sharp drop for the veteran Baltimore reliever. The injury ended a rough stretch on the mound for Akin. Baltimore had leaned on Akin as a bullpen lefty in prior years.

Akin’s loss leaves Grant Wolfram as the only lefty in Baltimore’s bullpen. The Orioles now carry just 1 healthy left-handed reliever. Baltimore entered Thursday at 42-48, 6 games under .500. Those Orioles rank fourth in the American League East. A thin bullpen complicates any second-half push for Baltimore.

Baltimore has fallen short of preseason expectations in 2026. Injuries have battered the Baltimore pitching staff all season. Akin’s surgery adds another arm to a crowded injured list. The 60-day move opens a 40-man roster spot for Baltimore. Baltimore now weighs its direction with 90-plus games played.

The injury reshapes Baltimore’s approach to the trade deadline in early August. A left-handed reliever now tops the Orioles’ list of needs. Akin’s 14-month timeline rules the lefty out as a deadline factor. Contending teams often pay premiums for bullpen help in July. Baltimore has roughly 2 weeks to finalize its plan.

Akin now faces roughly 14 months of rehab before returning. Akin will likely miss the entire 2027 season as well. Baltimore must find bullpen arms internally or through trades. Watch whether the Orioles buy relief help before the early-August deadline. Akin’s timeline points toward a 2028 return at the earliest. The 60-day injured list keeps Akin sidelined through the winter.