Ronny Henriquez Undergoes Tommy John Surgery, Timeline and Outlook

The Miami Marlins took a major hit to their bullpen plans when Ronny Henriquez underwent UCL reconstruction with an internal brace. That surgery will keep him out for the entire 2026 season.

Henriquez broke out as one of the National League’s most effective late-inning arms in 2025. Now, Miami has to rethink its relief strategy, both right now and for the future, though they do expect him back for Spring Training in 2027.

Ronny Henriquez’s Breakout Season in Miami

When the Marlins quietly claimed Ronny Henriquez off waivers from the Minnesota Twins in February 2025, almost nobody noticed. By the end of the season, that under-the-radar move turned into one of Miami’s best value additions and a key part of their bullpen.

From waiver claim to trusted late-inning weapon

With no minor-league options left, Miami had to keep Henriquez on the big-league roster or risk losing him. Instead of becoming a roster casualty, the 25-year-old righty became a fixture in late-game spots and one of manager Skip Schumaker’s most reliable arms.

Henriquez pitched 73 innings across 69 appearances, posting a 2.22 ERA. He gave a relief corps—one that often lacked swing-and-miss stuff—a much-needed stabilizer.

He didn’t just eat innings; he handled pressure. Henriquez tallied seven saves and 26 holds, blowing just four leads while routinely facing the toughest parts of opposing lineups.

Dominant Underlying Numbers Backed the Results

Henriquez’s breakout wasn’t a fluke. The metrics, pitch characteristics, and usage all pointed to a reliever who’d taken a real step forward.

Strikeout surge and elite whiff rates

The big change? His ability to miss bats. Henriquez struck out 32.4% of the hitters he faced and posted a 16.7% swinging-strike rate.

Those numbers put him among the top 20 relievers in baseball for strikeouts and whiffs. That’s a massive leap for a guy who’d mostly been seen as depth before.

In a Marlins bullpen desperate for more strikeout arms, Henriquez stood out. He was one of just two Miami relievers to punch out at least a quarter of hitters over 20-plus innings.

Refined arsenal: harder fastball, sharper slider

Henriquez didn’t get better by accident. Miami’s pitching staff helped him unlock more in his arsenal, and his fastball gained velocity, giving him more margin for error.

The real separator, though, was a refined slider. With higher spin and sharper break, it became a true plus pitch and could finish at-bats against both righties and lefties.

The improved slider generated more whiffs and let Henriquez attack aggressively in two-strike counts. That directly fueled his strikeout spike.

Strong Finish on a Heavy Workload

The more the Marlins trusted Henriquez, the better he seemed to pitch. His second half showed just how good he could be in a contending bullpen.

Second-half surge and reliability

After the All-Star break, Henriquez posted a 1.61 ERA over 28 innings. He handled his heaviest bullpen workload since 2022 and still finished strong.

For a team constantly playing close games, having Henriquez to bridge the gap from the middle innings to the ninth was huge. His performance gave Miami flexibility with bullpen roles and let other relievers pitch in more favorable situations.

The Impact of UCL Reconstruction on the Marlins

All of this makes the news of Henriquez’s UCL reconstruction sting even more. The internal brace procedure, though sometimes quicker to recover from than Tommy John surgery, will still keep him out for all of 2026.

Timeline, roster mechanics, and future outlook

According to MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola, the Marlins expect Henriquez to be ready for Spring Training 2027. That gives them a rough timeline for when he might return to full baseball activity.

In the meantime, Miami can move him to the 60-day injured list. That opens up a 40-man roster spot while he rehabs.

On the financial and control side, the Marlins still have a long-term stake in his recovery:

Right now, Henriquez’s absence leaves a big hole in a bullpen that already needed more swing-and-miss. Miami’s front office probably has to look outside the organization or hope someone steps up internally to fill his shoes.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Ronny Henriquez Undergoes UCL Surgery