Two MRI scans showed no structural issues with Robert Stephenson’s surgically repaired right elbow, but the Los Angeles Angels reliever has been diagnosed with a stretched biceps nerve, leaving his return timeline uncertain.
“The good news is there’s no serious damage,” Stephenson said Saturday before the team’s matchup with the Seattle Mariners. “It’s just a matter of how long it’ll take to get better. It could go away overnight, or it might linger for a few weeks or longer. These kinds of injuries are unpredictable.”
Stephenson, 32, was signed to a three-year, $33 million contract in January 2024 and was expected to be a key part of the Angels’ bullpen. However, he missed all of last season following surgery in May 2024 to repair his ulnar collateral ligament with an internal brace.
He made a promising return on May 28 with a flawless 12-pitch inning against the New York Yankees, but experienced discomfort while warming up in the bullpen two days later in Cleveland. He was removed from that game after just three pitches.
“You can’t treat this like a muscle or ligament issue,” Stephenson explained. “We’re just waiting for the nerve to calm down before I start throwing again. It’s a strange injury — kind of a freak thing. The doctors said they’ve seen something similar back in 2018, but there’s not much precedent for it.”