Key Giants starter suffers worrying elbow injury

Heading into the 2024 season, the San Francisco Giants are counting on Keaton Winn to help solidify the back half of their rotation. However, those plans took a turn after Winn suffered a worrying spring training injury.

Winn felt elbow soreness after his last bullpen session, via Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. While his MRI came back negative, the Giants will still shut him down for at least a few days. Assuming his elbow injury doesn’t lead to a major injury, Winn is expected to begin the year as San Francisco’s No. 4 starter.

Still, the Giants may be a little weary, even with the MRI producing positive news. Elbow injuries are a scary thing for any pitcher. With spring training just beginning, Winn will have time to heal before Opening Day. But San Francisco will still be keeping a close tab on how his elbow heals.

Winn made his MLB debut in 2023, appearing in nine games. He struggled to find his footing, pitching to a 1-3 record with a 4.68 ERA and a 35/8 K/BB ratio. However, Winn is still San Francisco’s No. 16 overall prospect, via MLB Pipeline. The Giants are expecting him to take a step forward in 2024.

But first, Keaton Winn will need to get past his elbow injury. By shutting him down, the Giants are giving the right-hander time for the soreness in his elbow to down. They’ll hope to get Winn back on the mound before spring training is over. But if his elbow injury persists, perhaps the Giants will dig back into the free agency well.